Heal Thyself
by SciFiRN
Summary: A magical healer has lost her power, well sort of and her shouldn't exist wizard brother may be behind it. Is Murphy's case related to Harry's? Book mixed with TV. HarryMurphy.
1. I Hate Mornings

CHAPTER 1

I should have known my day was only going to get worse. I hate cold showers. I really should be used to them, but I'm not. Wizards, we don't go well with technology. Electricity was a total bust and well, I'm somewhat afraid of the whole natural gas thing as I like my limbs to remain attached to my trunk. So, that leaves me with cold water and none too happy about it. I was out of coffee, and in spite of the cold shower, still barely awake. I had forgotten to feed Mouse before I fell into bed last night, so he happily helped himself to the remains of the twenty-five pound bag of kibble in the kitchen while I slept. Of course, I didn't realize this until I walked barefoot over what he left on the kitchen floor as I was on my way to answer the phone.

I managed to get to the phone before the machine picked up by hopping and cursing the man who created the "six tasty shapes" in Canine Crunchy Kibble. Leaning on the desk, I picked the offending "bone and drumstick" clinging to my feet then stood rubbing my left foot I answered, "Yeah." Murphy's voice greeted me sweetly on the other end.

"Harry, I need you out at Brookfield Zoo, now." No request, just a simple demand, "and I mean now, Dresden."

"Well good morning to you too. Murph, you know I'm not yours to order around. You ever think I might have plans." I squinted at my foot, and then gingerly set it down on the floor.

I heard the sigh, "Look Harry, I don't have time for this and I really need your help, besides you owe me and last week you were all but begging me for work, and come on Dresden do you really have plans?" I could hear the smirk in her voice.

I smirked back, "Well actually I do," I didn't but she didn't need to know that, "but I think I can manage to meet you there within the hour. Mind telling me what's going on?"

"Just get here Dresden."

I heard the click as she hung up. I sighed. She was right I did need the work, as evidenced by my lack of coffee. Wizardry wasn't an easy way to make a living, even if you were the only one in the Chicago phone book. Most wizards I knew had some kind of so-called 'real job' to keep a roof over their heads. I, on the other hand wouldn't know what to do with a nine to five.

I finished dressing, shoved my wand into my pocket and took Mouse out for his morning walk, though it was more like a run as he all but drug me down the street. We had just returned and I shoved Mouse's monstrous butt back through the front door. He didn't want to stay behind. He kept staring at me with that "please, let me come" look, and to press his point he levered his big head under my hand just as I was closing the door. This made me drop my keys, so I shoved my half-eaten bagel in between my teeth and bent over to pick up them up. I stood, and somehow managed to slam my head into the door jam, causing me to fumble the keys as I attempted to locate the one key that locked my door. All of which pissed me off. I stood there for a second rubbing the side of my head and cursing under my breath, which probably explains why I didn't noticed her.

She stood almost directly behind me, dressed in jeans and a blue peasant blouse that, dipped low across her ample breasts, and flowed loosely to her well-rounded hips. Being more than a foot shorter than I am, she looked up at me with a sudden, "Oh!" as I turned around and all but ran her over in my haste to get out to Murphy.

I gave her a sort of half smile, and took in her face. She wasn't what I would call beautiful, or even pretty, but she oozed confidence and sexiness and it surrounded her like the humidity just starting to hang heavy in the late July air. I cleared my throat and swallowed. I started to talk with my lips still around the bagel, before I remembered it was there, "Ivs air summin I cam oo foor oo?"

I hurriedly pulled the bagel from my mouth, "Ok, let's try that again. Is there something I can do for you?" She smiled, and I felt myself smile back. Damn, she was really cute when she smiled. I really like this woman and she hasn't said a word to me yet. The negative Harry in my head responded with, yeah, but once she gets to know you she isn't going to like you…just keep on talking and she'll run.

Her smile widened, "I'm looking for Harry Dresden. My guess would be that's you, but I see you are on your way out, so maybe I can just schedule an appointment for later." She looked up at me over the rims of her sunglasses, with her head cocked to the side like Mouse did when I talked to him.

I nodded, and smiled, then realized I probably looked like the village idiot, so I added actual words. "I'm Harry and yes I am on way out. I can meet with you later; I should be back around noon if that works for you?" I managed to offer my hand, after brushing the bagel crumbs on my thigh.

She started to reach for my hand, but stopped pushing her hands into the pockets of her jeans. I stood there looking even more like an idiot with my hand held out in front of me so I shrugged and dropped it to my side, maybe there was still something on it. She nodded and added, "Sure, noon is good for me. I'll see you then." She turned to her left, took about three steps then stopped. Glancing over her shoulder, she pulled her glasses down the bridge of her nose and caught my eyes, which hadn't left her since I'd first noticed her arrival. "Are you really a wizard?"

"It's what my business card says, so it must be true." I answered then whispered a quick spell under my breath, as my card materialized in front of her. She didn't jump, just grabbed it out of the air and palmed it into her pocket.

"Good." She pushed her glasses back into place and went on her way.

Well wasn't that odd, humph. I watched her walk away, enjoying the sway of her hips, until she turned the corner out of sight, then I headed to the blue beetle.


	2. Eww! Look at the Lion!

CHAPTER 2

_Brookfield Zoo_

I heard Murphy before I saw her. "It's about damn time Dresden. You said, 'within the hour' and that was almost 2 hours ago!"

I sighed. "Murph, I was stopped by a client, traffic was horrible and the beetle over heated twice on the way over. I'm sorry and I'm hot so what do you need." The humidity had my hair almost completely plastered to my head, my shirt was clinging like a wet leaf to a window and I still had to get back to my office by noon. I glanced over at Murphy and wondered how she managed to look as fresh as she did; being it was hotter than a hell dimension out here.

She held up the crime tape, "Over here."

I ducked under the tape and followed her into an animal enclosure. I could smell the blood, and other lovely death smells, long before I saw it. The "it" was what appeared to be one of the zoo's lions. His left paw and head were missing. His chest was open and his heart was nowhere in sight. A large piece of his fur was missing from the hide on his right flank and someone had recently removed the poor fellow's testicles.

OK, so an animal death is not what Murphy usually calls me into help investigate, but I understood why she had the moment I glanced at the scene. Pentagrams and candles are definitely not items found at "normal" crime scenes, but normal for me is entirely different from most peoples normal. I bent over one of two silver candles, which were on the opposing upper points of the pentagram. Picking up a small bundle of herbs tied together with what appeared to be several long locks of red hair I held it to my nose and inhaled. I immediately recognized chicory and bay laurel, but was unsure what the other scent was.

I handed it to Murphy, dragging a couple of strands of the hair out as I passed it off. As Murphy put the small bundle in an evidence bag, I glanced around at the three other candles surrounding the dead lion. There were two gray on the lower points, which left the lone black one at the uppermost point. Someone was messing with some strong magic, but I was unsure exactly what this type of ritual would accomplish. I stood and took a couple of steps back. "Did you find anything else, Murph?" I headed to the tip of the pentagram and squatted beside the black candle. The lion was lying so that his head would have been at this point.

Murphy's voice startled me from my thoughts, "They picked up a couple of pretty stones and found a couple of shoe prints but that's it." She paused for a few seconds the continued, "Well Dresden? Who or what the hell would do this and what does it mean?"

I stood. "Don't know yet, but I'll look into it. I'll need to do some research to find out what kind of ritual this was. Hey, wasn't last night the full moon?" I didn't wait for her answer, "I'm pretty sure it was, since some spells and rituals only work on a full moon that might be something to run with. What kind of pretty stones are we talking about Murph?"

I watched her roll her eyes, "Come on Harry, they were rocks, what the heck can they mean?" However, as she spoke she motioned me to follow her to where a sheet of canvas lay on the ground. On it was each piece of evidence that the crime scene unit had collected. My eyes glanced over the swabs of blood and what ever else, the herbs I had handed her earlier and about twenty other different bags.

Murphy pointed to the left hand side, "They are over there, feel free to look. I need to talk to Adams. I'll be back in a minute."

I picked one large bag; inside it were four smaller baggies. Each one contained a different stone. I found one fluorite, one smoky quartz and two obsidians. Ok, while each stone has a purpose, and I knew the purpose of each of these stones I still wasn't any closer to knowing what the hell was going on.

Fluorite grounded excess emotional energy. It worked like one of those ground fault interrupters that were on electric outlets in bathrooms. If the person performing the spell was overly emotional or nervous, that energy could suddenly spike into the spell causing a surge of power. Fluorite would shut it off, ground it and keep it from running amok and causing problems with the spell. It also aided in communication with nature spirits and members of the fey. Smoky quartz was an anchor for nature and earth energies. While obsidian added strength to the practitioner in times of need.

Hmm, not exactly much to go on, it was possible that we were dealing with a newer, slightly nervous or emotional practitioner who needed extra strength to perform this spell; or we had a well-rounded, very experienced practitioner performing an extremely dangerous and powerful spell that required extra precautions. My money was on the latter, after all the scene was set too perfectly for me to buy a newbie.

Murphy, having finished her chat with Adams, was heading my way. I scratched my head thoughtfully and spoke as she approached. "It's gonna take me some time Murph. I've never seen anything like this before. I mean there are plenty of old spells that require obscure animal parts, but this one is beyond me." I shrugged then placed the baggie of stones back onto the canvas, "You wouldn't happen to be able to get me a copy of the photos from the scene would you?" I gave her my most charming smile, "Cause you know the actual placement of the items is important."

Murphy sighed, "Yeah. I'm pretty sure I can get those for you. Harry, the animal is going in for a necropsy. If we find anything out from that, other than the obvious, I'll let you know."

"Great and I'll let you know if I find anything out." I spoke to her retreating back as she headed off to talk with someone else. I glanced down at my watch. It was eleven; I should still have plenty of time to get back to my office for my noon meeting. That is as long as the beetle held up her end of the bargain.

I mulled things over as I drove. I'm no poster boy for ritual magic, but it definitely comes in handy when you need it. If you're going to be dealing with "big time" magic, or you're messing with something you're unsure about it was definitely necessary. There are very few wizards around who can handle heavy magic without setting up a ritual. I am not one of them. In fact, I'd probably be better off using rituals more often, even for some of the lighter stuff. My problem was I usually didn't have time for a ritual, or even proper visualization, which is why my spells occasionally were less than perfect. Give me a break. Who has time for ritual magic when you're running for your life?


	3. Miss Zella Marshal

CHAPTER 3

I pulled the panting beetle to the curb, turned the key to off and let it shutter to a complete stop. My watch read quarter after twelve, and I hoped the woman was still waiting. I unfolded myself from the car and quickly crossed the street to my office. I didn't see her and I wondered at the little beat of disappointment that hit me. I shrugged and started to unlock the door. Once again, I was surprised to see her. This time she was standing on my left and I almost slammed the door into her face as I swung it open. She stood there smiling and I was the one with the startled, "Oh!" this time.

"Stars and stones woman, you have some way of just showing up." I held the door open and motioned for her to enter, purposely without an actual invitation. She paused, looked around and ducked her head before she entered. I followed right behind her, but turned to raise the blinds before I gave her my attention.

She stood by my desk. Mouse had risen from his spot on the couch and was standing in front of her as his tail thumped against the side of my desk. She smiled and spoke to him with in a singsong voice as she scratched him beneath his massive jaw.

"That's Mouse. Keep scratching him and you'll have a friend for life." I ambled behind my desk and motioned to the chair on the other side as I sat down. She continued to stroke Mouse, now on the top of his head, as she sat. "OK, so what can I do for you Miss…?"

"Marshal, Zella Marshal. Please call me Zella. It seems, Mr. Dresden that I have been bespelled or cursed." She settled back into the chair and set her purse in front of her on my desk. "I pissed off my brother and he did something, though I have no idea what it is he did. I do know that every time I touch someone purposely I drain that person's strength. The day it began I left one man dead and almost killed a child, he is still in the hospital."

I watched her as she spoke, my mind trying to register the, 'I left one man dead' portion of her story. Law number one, "Thou shall not kill!" The Council was gonna love this. I had enchanted the chair so that I would be able to tell truth from untruth and nothing she said tripped its radar so I nodded. "Your brother is he a wizard?"

She nodded, "Yes it appears he is, however I am worried that he is involving himself in the dark arts. He only recently came into his powers. I've tried to guide him, give him advice and review the Laws with him, but since I'm no wizard, I can't seem to reach him. There are no other wizards in our family and well I can't exactly go to the Council." She paused and looked directly in my eyes. I quickly averted my gaze. Until I knew more about her there was no way I was going to soulgaze with her. I watched the realization cross her face. She swallowed and continued, "They don't seem to have any tolerance for anyone dabbling in black magic. I'm worried about what he did to me, but even more about what he's doing to himself." She reached into her purse, pulled out a tissue and dabbed at the corner of her eyes, which had just begun to tear up.

I leaned forward with my elbows resting on the desk. I was intrigued. She was comfortable around magic. She was probably from a magically inclined family, but since wizardry wasn't normal for her family, I wondered what type was. She was completely correct about the White Council. They tended to execute black magic users, but if the boy wasn't in too deep, there might be a chance for him. I didn't bother to tell her that I was a Warden for the White Council. I think she may have heard the rumor. I also think she was hoping that I didn't hold to their strict interpretation of the Laws. I knew with quiet certainty that I sure as hell wasn't planning to execute anyone; just the thought caused a bitter taste to rise in the back of my throat. After forcibly viewing one sentence carried out there was no way I was ever going to there.

"You say that when you touch anyone purposely you absorb their strength, but does…" Zella interrupted me.

"No Mr. Dresden. I don't take in any of the power, or if I do, I have no way of accessing it or even determining it's there. The other person's strength is just gone The only thing that comes close to describing it is vampire-like, though without the obvious benefit to myself. White Court Vampires, survive by drawing on other peoples energies this is reminiscent of what happens when I touch someone."

I blinked a couple of times. Ok, so she knew about wizards and she knew about vampires, but come on she also knew about the different vampire courts. It was possible that she knew a White Court Vampire, but she hadn't fallen under their power, then again maybe she had and this was a setup. After all, most of the magic community knew my weakness for a damsel in distress.

This woman was becoming more and more intriguing. "So, if the energy doesn't benefit you where does it go? Energy doesn't just disappear. Magic doesn't work that way. It's all about checks and balances. It may move from person to person or change states, but it never goes away." I said this all out loud, but I was really just trying to process.

Zella smiled, "Well, that was one of the reasons I came to you, Mr. Dresden. You help people and you're good at what you do. I'm sure you have more questions than just that one and I'll try to fill you in, but you still might find what I have to say difficult to believe."

I watched her shift in her seat, uncross her legs and set both feet on the floor. She drew in a breath and began, "My family's full name is Marshalikov. There aren't many of us left; in fact, there are only five of us scattered across the globe. My brother is the black sheep, not only because he is an obvious wizard, but also because he is male. I must assume that his father was also a wizard, because there have never been any in our family." She cocked her head to the side again and asked, "Have you heard of us?"

I shook my head. Nope, never heard of them, but Bob probably had, so that gave me an idea. "No, but I know someone who may have, just wait here a minute." I jumped up and headed back to my lab. I grabbed the skull and ducked back into my office. I held the skull up for her to see and placed it on my desk. "Zella, I want you to meet Hrothbert of Bainbridge, or as I call him, Bob." I tapped the skull for show and ordered, "Wake up ghost."


	4. Wham! Bam! Thank You, Ma'am!

CHAPTER 4

The skulls eyes began to glow and then a spiral of golden light emerged, coalescing into the shape of my ghostly mentor. "What now Harry? I was in the middle of…Umm," Bob paused in his complaints as he noticed Zella. He turned to face me and all but whispered, "Harry who exactly is this woman and why is she here?"

"Bob, this is Zella Marshalikov. She needs our help." I rolled my eyes as Bob effected a courtly bow in her direction.

"How can I be of service then?" He purred and glanced at me.

Wouldn't it figure, all I need to do is keep a woman around and Bob gets all-cooperative.

Bob's form suddenly stiffened and his jaw dropped, "Harry, you didn't say Marshalikov did you?"

Good, Bob knew something, "Yes, and Miss Marshalikov needs our help. She seems to have a brother who has unexpectedly inherited wizardry from his father," Bob's jaw now gaped, "and not only that but he seems to be dabbling with the dark side. When Zella called him on it, he put some sort of spell on her that causes her to drain a person's energy upon physical contact." I glanced at Bob and if it were possible, I would think his eyes were about to pop out of his head. I continued, "I was hoping you had some insight." I watched him pull himself together, straighten his vest and jacket and turn to face me with his all-knowing smile in place. I sat back down in my chair and waited. Bob not only knew something, but he knew a big something.

"Harry, do you know anything about this family?"

"Um, no, Zella only told me that there were only a few in her family left and her brother was the odd man out. She was just getting to the part of who they are when she asked me if I knew about her family. I said I didn't, but knew someone who might and by the way you're acting I'm pretty sure I'm right." I smiled and steepled my fingers beneath my chin, "Care to indulge me spirit?"

Zella settled into her chair and smiled at Bob and me. "I always like to hear what people have heard about us, it's not very often accurate. By the way, it is my pleasure to meet you, Hrothbert of Bainbridge." She inclined her head.

Bob turned to face her. "I've known a few of the Marshalikovs. Would I have had the delight of meeting your mother?" Bob strolled around to the other side of Zella's chair; watching her as he spoke.

"My grandmother was Sophia Marshalikov. I believe you met her a time or two." Zella kept watching me out of the corner of her eye. My mind was on the fact that this woman's grandmother had met the living, breathing Bob. I mean wizards have unusually long lives, but that's, well that's just very unusually long.

Bob spoke, breaking my train wreck of thought. "Harry, I can see you are confused so let me explain." He rolled his eyes and huffed which in turn elicited a small giggle from Zella. "The Marshalikovs are Healers. They seem to have an infinite knowledge of healing and an infinite ability to do it. I watched this girl's grandmother heal an entire army of mortals, two White Court Vampires and myself and look as fresh as she did when she started. They are sort of like cosmic batteries. They don't take energies they give it, and they never, for all intents and purposes, drain their own source of magic. There is no explanation for it, as it goes against everything we know about magic, but for some reason they can only Heal those involved in righteous fights. The Healing only happens if the soul is at that moment in a pure pursuit; they can however heal or ease most mortal ailments."

I was confused so I interrupted, "OK so they can heal only the righteous, but they can heal most mortals? What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Bob sighed, "What it means, Harry, is that a Healer can at times Heal, with a capital H; as in renew not only the flesh, but also the spirit and recharge, sometimes even boost the power of those on the righteous side of a battle. They have been used by mortal kings and those in the Nevernever for that very reason, but just because the king feels he is right doesn't make it so. Many Healers were given over to the Sidhe when they were unable to Heal, or keep death at bay. Others were beheaded and then burned, which are the only two ways to destroy a Healer in her prime, but most often, the price was the Healer's daughters. Healers are often sought and bought by practitioners of magic, and since they have no offensive powers they are rather easy targets."

Bob paused and leveled his gaze at Zella, "I heard that many years ago, the remaining few aligned themselves with the Church and since then the Knights of the Cross have defended them. As far as I know, there have never been any males, making this girl's brother something altogether different. If I remember correctly, Madame Sophia gave birth to three daughters. I met all of them when they were still quite young."

Zella nodded and then added. "Yes. My grandmother gave birth to my mother, Elsbeth, and also her sisters Abigail and Maria. When my grandmother had served as Healer for close to two hundred years, she chose my mother to be her successor. My mother survived the Ceremony of Trials and from that point on became a Healer. My aunts and grandmother then began to age normally. My mother gave birth to me some 115 years ago."

I interrupted Zella, "Umm...so, you want me to believe that you are over one hundren years old? I know wizards that old, but at least they look old." I sat back into my chair and rubbed my forehead. Damn, I hate headaches.

Zella offered me an indulgent smile, "Yes, Mr. Dresden I truely am one hundred and fifteen years old and until recently I have lived with my mother as her "sister". My mother was growing tired of the responsibility of Healer so about twenty years ago she decided to step down and she passed the mantle to me. She spent about six months with me then moved to California. She met a man, I know only as Jason and for the first time in her life she was swept off her feet. According to my mother, he was in his fifties, was well off and had no other family. They were together for about a year when my mother became pregnant."

"But is that even possible? There has never been, as far as I know, a child born to an aging Healer." Bob looked at me and then back at Zella; his eyebrows raised and mouth agape.

Zella nodded and continued. "My mother was distraught. Once we perform the ceremony to pass power to our daughters we also lose our fertility, at least that is what I was taught and as far as I know it's how things have always been. My mother immediately knew something was wrong. She confronted Jason with the pregnancy and he laughed. My mother sat there crying as he laughed and told her that it finally worked. My mother questioned him about what exactly worked but he became angry with her and refused to tell her. Two weeks later, he disappeared."

"Did you ever meet this man, or maybe see a picture of him?" I asked, hoping the description might help us narrow down the suspects.

"Never. I visited her once while she was in California, but Jason was out of the country on business. After my mother came to live with me, which was almost immediately after Jason left, I noticed her aging. I don't mean she felt older or looked tired. I mean she aged. I would guess one year for each month of her pregnancy, by the end she could barely move and was having problems breathing. She delivered my brother alone, as she wanted. I found him snuggled against her dead body some time later. I raised him as my own."

Zella lowered her head and silently cried. She quickly wiped at her eyes, lifted her head and looked at Bob.

"I'm sorry for your loss. Your mother was a beautiful and gifted woman." Bob then glared at me prodding me into motion.

"Me too," Ooh, smooth. I cleared my throat, "I'm very sorry about your mother and I'm not trying to be calloused, but if I'm going to help you I need you to tell me the rest of the story."

She nodded, "Forgive me. It's just been very hard lately." She took a deep breath and continued. "Like I said, I raised my brother as my own, but as he got older I told him about our mother. In private he was my brother, while in public I was his mother…it was easier that way. My mother had been very clear that his name would be Kerr Macrae Marshalikov. If it has significance I don't know, but Kerr was born extremely gifted. Since he was the only male in our race, I didn't know what to expect. Was it normal that he walked early, but spoke his first words late, or that he seemed to have an innate ability to know what I was thinking? When he turned twelve he began to spend more time alone, which isn't unusual, but I also began to notice things."

I interrupted, "Let me guess. Things moved from where you set them down. His appearance changed from one minute to the next. Objects disappeared only to show up where they were a few minutes before."

She nodded quizzically at me, "It's the kind of thing a twelve year old budding wizard does with his newfound powers, well it was the kind of thing I did anyway. Sorry, please continue."

"OK, so I started noticing those things and I confronted him on it. He told me he woke up one day and, 'Boom, I could do these cool things.' I was confused, probably more so than him, I knew what he was, but I didn't know how he even existed. I tried to teach him the Laws and for years I thought he was sticking to them. What I didn't know was that he had found new friends, and those friends had turned their backs on the Laws and were practicing the black arts."

Again she paused this time to shiver, "One day he managed to get inside my head and force my will. It was over something small and entirely insignificant. I had grounded him for poor grades, he wanted to go to a local pub and I had said no. About an hour and a half later, I went to his room and told him I was sorry and why didn't he go out with his friends. Right after he left I realized what happened. When he came home, we had a huge fight. For the next year we fought and I repeatedly tried to get him to meet several wizards. I all but begged him to go to the Council and ask for a mentor, but he never did."

"Three weeks ago I gave him an ultimatum: Either quit the black magic and move away from Scotland with me or I was turning him in to the Council. He started crying, he said that couldn't move because they wouldn't let him He was convinced that they would kill him and then he told me that if I took him to the Council," Zella took a deep breath and continued in an almost desperate whisper, "I might as well sign his death warrant. He admitted he was in so far over his head that he couldn't get out, and even if he could they wouldn't let him."

She paused for a breath and Bob interrupted, "I suppose he never told you who the "they" are did he?" Bob had walked and stood behind me, almost appearing to be leaning against the wall.

Zella shook her head, "He said he couldn't tell me or they would kill me," she gave half a laugh, "but I'm not sure he understands how hard it would be to kill me and I'm not sure "they" know what I am. Anyway, we agreed to a two day period to allow him to consider his options. I assured him that if he agreed to leave we would be safe, but I'm pretty sure he didn't believe me. Two days later, he was gone. I went to his room, knocked and when he didn't answer, I opened his door. I stepped into the room and immediately felt 'something'. The only was to describe it is a rush of wind and an electric jolt all combined into one big backhand across the face. I stumbled, fell to my knees and only then did I notice the pentagram, and the strange symbols on the door. I must have passed out because the next thing I remember was waking up in the same spot, only it was dark outside. The pentagram and symbols were all gone. Nothing was left to even indicate they were ever there."


	5. Touch me baby

CHAPTER 5

I felt my stomach sink, even as my shoulders and jaw tensed up, the dull ache in my head increasing to a steady hammering thump. A glance behind me to Bob showed that he felt the same way. I tried to keep the surprise mingled with fear from my eyes, but I wasn't successful since Zella chimed in with, "Almighty, be with us. It's bad isn't it.it?"

I nodded mutely as Bob spoke, "We'll get to that. So this happened a little over two weeks ago?" at Zella's nod Bob continued, "How many people have you 'drained'?"

"Well, I was supposed to see two clients that day. I still had my work and I hadn't realized what Kerr had done so after I composed myself I rescheduled them for the next day, which meant I would be seeing a total of three clients the next day. The first was an elderly priest that I have seen several times over the years. He had cancer and while I can't cure it, I can usually put it into remission and then leave it in the hands of the Fates. This was his second visit in the month, I wasn't able to slow the cancer the last time, but he came to see if I could alleviate some of his pain. He left feeling better than he had. The next client was a small boy, about five years old with a genetic problem that left him with brittle bones. He left me smiling. The third client that day was a pregnant woman who I was assisting with nausea. I was running my hands over her belly when the phone rang and I wasn't noticing that she beginning to slump in the chair until she just about fell out of it."

"I grabbed her as she fell,fell; her husband ran in to help and knelt by her side. I heard the incoming message in the background: 'Zella, Zella! Stop, something is really wrong. Father Lucca passed about an hour ago and the little boy, Lucas, is barely alive on life support. Father help us, something is wrong.' The woman's husband sat beside his wife glaring up at me. His wife was awake and though feeling weak she said she felt fine. I attempted to help the woman's husband up by grabbing his hand, but when I did, I felt the jolt. Then his gripped failed. He pulled his hand away and screamed at me to not touch him."

Zella sat back in her chair with a worried look on her face. I'm sure my face echoed the worry. I knew something she didn't. If it was Kerr's magic that worked the spell and pentagram then this was some of the darkest black magic I knew, and if all that was true then there was no way I or anyone else could help him.

You don't walk around using that kind of magic and then one day decide to give it up, it stains your soul, twisting who you are into something entirely different. You become something very un-human. It always starts small but the more the black magic you use, the more you feel you have to use until you don't know how to survive without it.

I knew it and Bob knew it, which is why I hoped Kerr wasn't the spell caster. I did have reason to hope since pulling off that kind of magic wasn't something any old wizard could do. It took power, and that kind of power takes time to develop.

Hell, I am a strong wizard, but I was a baby compared to the High Council. I think I intimidated most of them because they knew, deep down inside, that I would be stronger than most of them. That's my point though; I wasn't just yet. You aren't just able to do strong magic right out of the box, you need to learn control and focus, which I find challenging most of the time. I'm rather confident that most seventeen-year-old boys would find that kind of control almost impossible.

"Harry…Harry!" Bob yelled in my ear and when I finally acknowledged him he added, "I'm rather sure I know what kind of spell was used. The disappearing pentagram is the hallmark of an unnatural Reversal."

Zella almost immediately perked up, "That's good isn't it? I mean if you know what kind of spell it is you can undo it right?"

I rubbed my forehead. I could only wish it were that easy. "Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. Knowing the type of spell is a good place to start, but the only way to undo it is to know the actual spell and the types of power that went into its invocation. Sometimes a wizard can offset one spell with another, but I wouldn't actually be able to remove the original spell. Our second problem is that an unnatural Reversal is black magic, and I don't mean borderline, grayish, magic. I mean magic so black that in the words of T-bird, 'there ain't no comin' back!' so even if I wanted to go there I can't."

Zella's entire posture changed. I'm not saying she started out relaxed, but she sure did tense up in a matter of seconds, sort of like an animal when they realize they are cornered.

She stood, leaned over my desk and spoke slowly. "Does that mean you are telling me my brother is as good as gone Mr. Dresden?"

She paused, arching her left eyebrow then continued, "Because I don't believe that. If you could only see how scared he was you would realize that Kerr really wants out, but feels trapped."

Zella placed her palms in the center of my desk and leaned toward me. Instinctively I leaned back in my chair putting space between us. Her voice dropped low in her throat as she added, "If you don't believe in my brother tell me now and I'll walk away. You simply pretend I was never here. The council never finds out and they are never the wiser."

She drew in a breath, pressed her body more closely against my desk and raised her hand to hover a few inches above my shoulder. I watched the rise and fall of her breasts as she steadied herself. Her voice almost seductive as she whispered, "If, however, I find out you went to the council behind my back I simply ask you to remember that it would only take a simple touch. Do you realize Mr. Dresden, how often people touch?"


	6. Snap out of it

Chapter 6

"Harry…Um Harry. Wake up Harry!" I shook my head as Bob screamed at me and Mouse rammed his nose into my side, his teeth scraping across my ribs. The sharp pain brought me focus. I pushed roughly away from my desk and moved quickly to place my back against the wall, my hand immediately grabbing for my staff. I stood staring at Zella as she sat calmly across from me with a puzzled look on her face.

I glared at the woman sitting there, "What the hell just happened?" I swung my gaze to Bob, "Tell me what the fuck is going on woman. And tell me now."

"I don't understand Mr. Dresden. Hrothbert was telling us what type of spell he felt was used against me while you just sat there, staring off into space. We've been trying to get your attention for several minutes now. "

I looked at Bob, his concern obvious and I raised my eyebrow at him. He nodded. "It's all true Harry. I was explaining the spell, Ms. Marshalikov made a comment and then you were just gone. We couldn't get any kind of response from you. I can only assume it was some kind of trance." Bob stepped closer, and more quietly asked, "Are you OK, Harry? Do you remember anything?"

I slowed my breathing and tried to make sense of everything I knew up to this point. On one hand, I have a rare, all but immortal, almost all-powerful healer who gets some whamo put on her and now wields pure death magic. On the other hand, I have the brother, who not only shouldn't exist, but also is a burgeoning wizard who may or may not be the one involved with creating his sister's death magic spell dilemma. Now, I'm losing time and hallucinating that said healer, who seems to work on the side of God, is threatening me with the death magic she came to me for help with. I rubbed at my head. Did I mention how much I hate headaches?

I felt a tickle on my side. I glanced down at the tear in the left side of my shirt. I was shocked that Mouse had actually drawn blood and that the scrape across my ribs was still oozing. I yanked the shirt up to expose the small scrape on my side and almost completely missed the tiny print on the outside of my shirt.

There were two sigils I couldn't identify either one, but they were there. The small tear Mouse had made neatly bisected both of the symbols and my blood had soaked into the shirt forming an almost perfect circle around them. I looked over at Mouse, who was asleep about two feet from me, his head resting on his paws.

It took me a few seconds to realize what it meant, but when I did, I roughly dragged the shirt over my head and rushed to the fireplace. I tossed the shirt into the grate, grabbed my blasting rod and after gathering a decent amount of will directed it into the firebox.

My command came out almost a hiss as with deadly calm I whispered "Fuego!"

The shirt burst into a blue and I swear to you black flame. It burned with a ferocious heat for a few seconds and then was gone. There was nothing left of the shirt, not even ash.

I stood staring at the fireplace. I was unmistakably shaking, part in fear, but mostly in anger. Somehow, someone had managed, to not only, place that spell on me without me feeling it, but also to keep it from setting off my wards. I'm pretty sure there was even a part of me somewhat impressed by the finesse of the spell, but at the time, my anger overruled every other thought in my head.

"Harry. What did you see?" Bob stood close beside me, clearly concerned.

I looked over at Zella. She remained beside my desk, though she was now standing. I forced my hands to open and took a deep breath. It took me a minute to realize that I had clenched my fists so forcefully that my fingernails had created little crescents of blood on my palms.

"What I saw was Ms. Marshalikov threaten me with destruction if I didn't agree to help her, or if I informed the rest of the council. What I wanted to do to her, was what I just did to my shirt." I found Bob's eyes and tried to express to him how scared that made me, "If Mouse hadn't managed to ground out the spell I don't know what I would have done."

Bob offered me that sad, sage smile of his, "Harry, we don't know for sure if you would have or even could have done what you were thinking. As Ms. Marshalikov said, you had been sitting there in some kind of daze for several minutes. It's not as if you were moving around or even speaking. What we need to work out is how that spell came to be on your person. Do you remember anything unusual?"

I stood for a second or two then headed to my kitchen to wash the scratch. I grabbed a paper towel, wet it and dabbed at the small cut on my side. Zella had somehow managed to move quietly beside me and once again, I startled when I turned around.

"You must be part cat, you move so quietly." I felt as though I should feel wary being close to her again, but I didn't. She gave off a quiet, peaceful strength. I could sense no cruelty or viciousness in her, and while she stood close, she managed to keep just enough distance to prevent touching me. My breath caught a bit in my throat and my jeans grew a little tighter across the front as I stared down at her.

Her face flushed slightly and she dropped her eyes to my side. She held a hand out toward the still, slightly bleeding scratch, but stopped just short of actually touching me. I could feel the heat of her palm as she chanted something quietly in what I thought was Greek. She began to move her hand in a slowly widening circle.

At this point I figured I really should be scared, after all the dream Zella had just threatened me and now the real Zella had her hand less than an inch above my bare skin.

Funny thing though, I wasn't scared. In fact, it took every ounce of will I had to keep myself from pressing myself against her hand the way Mister pressed against my legs when he wanted attention. I felt a fissure of power that made my skin glow, and as I watched, the scratch not only stopped oozing, but also closed up completely.

Zella kept up the chanting for another minute as she did the same thing to my palms. Healing the little bowed lines my nails had made. By the time she was done a fine sheen of sweat was coating my chest, my breathing was erratic and I desperately needed a cold shower.

When Zella finished she took about a half a step back and took a deep breath, "Damn, wouldn't that just figure." She sort of groaned it quietly to herself.

I didn't move, too afraid I would embarrass myself, not that I could have moved anway, as Zella stood directly in front of me. I had no idea what she was talking about, but in my current state, I don't think much of anything would have made sense. Zella stood her eyes to the floor and I watched as she wiped at her eyes. The gallant in me couldn't resist asking, "Zella, are you OK?"

She nodded and sniffed. Yeah, sniffing is always a good sign that things are fine. "Is it because of my hallucination? Because trust me those weren't my thoughts...those really weren't my thoughts." Sure let your mind go there again, "I, um, that was what someone else wanted me to see." I wanted to pull her against my chest and comfort her, and do several other things as well, but I knew I couldn't.

She swiped at her eyes again and when she looked up at me, she smiled. "I really am OK. It's just been a trying few weeks and things are getting to me." She took a few reluctant steps backward, then turned and headed for my couch where she plopped down and curled her feet up under her.

It took me a minute or two more to move, but when I did, I realized I was still shirtless so I headed to my room for a shirt. Bob popped up next to me.

This time his smile was suggestive, "Sooo, she get you a bit hot, did she?"

I gave him the, "shut the hell up or I'll crush your ugly skull look" and he wisely did just that. "I thought she'd lost her power to heal. So how did she just do what she just did?" I mumbled as I pulled a black t-shirt over my head.

Bob rolled his eyes, "She never said she couldn't heal anymore, she simply said that she couldn't touch anyone without draining their life force. There is a difference, Harry."

"Well, I guess I thought that her healing was a hands on thing, I mean she laid hands on all those people she was trying to help right? If she doesn't need to touch, then she can still heal. Though, I'm not against helping her to be able to touch again."

"I bet not," Bob snickered and raised his eyebrows, "but she can't heal the 'big' stuff without touch. Small things like your scratches and cuts she can manage with that chanting thing she just did, but the big things like cancer, large wounds or damage to the psyche require a more direct application of her power. Even to do what she did for you required her to focus her power through her hands."

"Yeah, OK, but we did learn that she still has her power, after all if she didn't have any she wouldn't be able to heal at all. I think the spell on her is somewhat like the one that was on me. They both required physical contact to pass to the victim. Mouse managed to bind the spell on me because he figured out where it was, but since the one placed on Zella was an unnatural reversal, there is no way we can 'find' it. We have to figure out who is powering the spell in order to stop it."

I headed back to the living room, if you can call such a small area a room, and sat down across from Zella. "If you have any other information, even if you think it's insignificant, I need you to tell me. Your brother's life and maybe even your own depends on it."

She nodded, took a deep breath and started telling me all manner of interesting things.


	7. Potions, Rain and Beer

CHAPTER 7

It was around five when Zella left muttering something about being late for dinner with some friends. She left me her phone number as well as her room number at the downtown Hilton. That left me and Bob to our research. I still had Murphy's case to work on, though my mind was still largely involved with the puzzle of how that spell managed to get itself on my shirt.

Bob had suggested a few potions, and while he was usually a pain in my backside, when he did actually suggest something I knew I should listen. So, Bob and I were in my lab, two potions were currently bubbling to completion and I was working on mixing the third.

The first one was a simple, eyes open potion. Something like that gunky, brown, gel I use on my eyes to see past faerie glamour, but this would allow me to see hidden wards and spells.

Bob and I had worked out a way to make the potions last longer than a few minutes and I had actually used a chameleon potion for two hours a few weeks ago. It tuned out that it really wasn't that difficult to do, though it did require me to capture a good amount of will and figure out a way to add it to the potion just when I needed it.

Bob had suggested espresso beans as a reservoir to hold the gathered will. All I had to do was drink the potion, and chew the bean at the same time, which would release the reserved will and spike the potion. The caffeine acted as a catalyst and increased their charge, just enough.

I currently had four espresso beans that I had previously infused with a good deal of my will. I would be using three today, so I added, "gather will" to a list of things I needed for my lab.

The second potion was a bit more complex and was one I had never used before. Bob swore it would work, and I'm sure he was right, but it still scared the hell out of me. Bob kept calling it the contiguous integumentary impedance potion. I tended to prefer, mystical body condom. If it worked the way Bob thought it should, Zella would be able to touch the person using the potion without touching them with any black magic, hopefully, meaning she could heal them. I really wasn't sure that I would need this one to last for longer than a few minutes, but since I didn't want to take a chance I'd use one of my magic beans.

A few of the ingredients Bob suggested for the third potion were a little unusual. Honestly, the whole idea seemed kind of strange to me, but I stirred in the color change cool aid powder and laughed at the ridiculousness of the ingredient. I clearly heard someone pounding loudly on my door.

"I'll be there in a minute," I yelled out and went back to my mixing.

I added the final drop of powder and removed the other two potions from the heat. I gave the cool aid punch a final stir and set it to simmer. There was another round of angry rapping at my door, followed by a slightly frustrated, "Harry! Harry, answer the damn door."

Murphy. I climbed out of the lab, yelling, "I'm comin' Murph…geez, give me a minute will ya!" I stalked to the door, and opened it up to find Murphy standing in the evening rain, dripping wet with a rather unpleasant look on her face.

Leaving a duffle bag beside the door she stomped passed me while pushing her bangs up out of her eyes. "Harry, I've been banging on the door for almost ten minutes. Remember, I said 7:30?" She looked up at me with her eyebrows at an angry angle, "You do have a watch don't you? It's almost 7:45 and it's raining and now I'm soaked!"

It was really hard to keep from smiling. I know I've said it before. Murphy is really cute when she's angry. I don't know if I've ever mentioned that she's quite sexy when she's soaking wet. "Sorry, I got caught up in the lab. I lost track of time and I really didn't know it was raining." I gave her a lopsided, I'm really sorry grin then closed and locked the door. I trotted to the bathroom for a towel.

"Yea, I've heard it all before Dresden. You better have something for me, and I hope this case file is still readable." Murphy caught the towel I chucked at her easily with her left hand, dropped the file onto my coffee table and then started drying her hair and face while she slumped down onto my couch.

I headed to the kitchen and grabbed a couple of beers from my ice box. It took me a few extra seconds to fumble in the drawer for the bottle opener before I headed back to my couch and handed one to Murphy. At this point, she wasn't dripping anymore and she had somehow managed to finger comb her hair into a reasonably fashionable style. Her longish bangs slanted over her right eye, but she flipped them back again as she took the beer.

"Thanks. Did you have time to look into this zoo thing?" She paused and took a swig of her beer before continuing, "As if it isn't bad enough to have my superiors pressing me for answers now I have PETA, the Humane Society and every other animal activist group calling the office screaming at me to find the so called murderer." Murphy paused, caught my eyes with a total look of disgust and added, "Seriously, Harry…I don't understand how an innocent kid can get killed and it ends up on the second page of the paper, but some crazy goes out and chops up some caged lion and that not only takes up the entire front page and ends up on every network news show, but it also means the zoo and station get picketed because they aren't doing enough! It's crazy and it's driving me crazy. So please tell me you can help?!"

I picked up the file she had dropped onto the old steamer trunk that served as my coffee table and brushed the larger drops from the manila folder before I thumbed it open. Earlier, I had briefed Bob on the case and what I had seen at the zoo. He had told me it was an old magic, could be a protection ritual, though the missing testicles made him think that was wrong and something else was going on. He did say that everything else found at the scene led him to believe, as I had thought, that this was a strong practitioner who was taking extra precautions.

That made him wary, which made me wary. Strong magic done under special precautions usually didn't mean good things. I sat next to Karrin and told her what I knew up until now. She nodded, drank and sighed, "So, really you don't know anything new?"

I shook my head, and slumped into the couch next to her my shoulder against hers. "Not really, but you just got me this file so I'll keep on it." I saw Bob out of the corner of my eye waving at me and pointed to the lab. The potion was done. I was just about to get up when my front door flew open and a soggy teenager darted in. She dropped a backpack at her feet and started shaking off like a wet dog.

Murphy had automatically reached for her weapon, but in a moment of restraint hadn't actually pulled it from the holster, though she warily watched Mouse careen across the apartment, slam into the newcomer and promptly knock her on her ass.

I chuckled, set my beer on the trunk and headed to my lab to take the last potion off the heat. I grabbed another towel on my way back to the living area. The waterlogged newcomer was still sprawled indignantly on the floor in front of my still open door with Mouse standing over her, licking her face while his tail swung wildly side to side, like a drunken metronome.

Her cries of, "Mouse, stop…get the hell off me dog…Mouse!" were only making him more excited to see her. I dragged Mouse off her and dropped the towel in her lap while I pushed the door shut with my foot.

"Come on Mouse, let her get up." I said, gently pulling him back toward the couch with me, "I'm sure she'll give you all the attention you want, but you do have to let her actually come in." Mouse followed me, though reluctantly, as I sat back down next to Karrin.

Molly Carpenter, my apprentice, gracelessly got to her feet while muttering curse words under her breath. Karrin, having realized who the intruder was, relaxed back against the couch and took a long drag from her beer to hide her smile. I picked up my beer, took a long drink and addressed my visitor.

"So, Molly, what are you doing here? I thought you weren't supposed to be here until tomorrow, thought you were babysitting tonight." I finished my beer and set the empty bottle on the trunk. I wasn't really upset that she was here, but I was surprised. Eight o'clock wasn't late, especially in summer, but usually the Carpenters didn't like Molly traipsing about Chicago alone.

"OK, well, see…Dad and Mom had someone over for dinner and then Mom offered her my room and well…I didn't really want to sleep on the couch and Mom told me I couldn't practice with her in the house because it might upset her, which is so not OK… so then I told her I was coming over here." Molly paused for the quickest breath imaginable, "OK, then we tried to call, but the phones are out due to the storm and so they said I could come over and if you said OK, I could call them from my cell and tell them it was OK…I told them if it wasn't OK you would give me a ride home. So, is that OK?"

Molly managed to say every word in probably less than 10 seconds. I was thinking that she could win the speed talking record if she tried. Murphy was actually chuckling beside me, though she was trying really hard not to laugh out loud as she breathed, "That OK?" beside me, somehow managing to make her eyebrows raise the same way Molly's had when she was talking.

Suppressing my own smile, I addressed my apprentice, "Molly you know how I feel about you staying with me. I just don't think it's a great idea." I ran my hand through my hair. We'd had this conversation before and part of me was surprised that Charity had agreed. Call me old fashioned, but a teenage girl spending the night with an unrelated man, old enough to be her father was just wrong. Not to mention my mind still uncomfortably held the image of Molly's attempt to thank me after I saved her from execution at the hands of the White Council. I knew it would be easy enough for Molly to pretend to call her mom; after all, I couldn't come within several feet of the cell phone without turning into a smoking paperweight.

Molly pulled her hair back and tied it in a loose, wet knot. Then she glared in my general direction. Her mascara had run, creating dark circles below her eyes giving her a ghoulish appearance. "Come on Harry, It's not like I'm a baby." She huffed as she stomped over to a chair and dropped into it.

I sighed. Yeah, teenagers, you gotta love them. "Molly we've talked about this before. The answer hasn't changed. It's just not right." I glanced at Murphy for backup. However, she wasn't complying. She hurried to press her bottle to her mouth and then sipped leisurely to avoid commenting; however, she was thwarted by the evil genius of a mere child.

"Tell him Lt. Murphy. Tell him how silly and old fashioned he's being. Come on, nothing's going to happen." Molly was pulling out all the stops and using everything at her disposal. Murphy wasn't falling for it. Molly didn't know that I had previously discussed this very thing with Murphy and she agreed with me.

Murphy gave a resigned sigh and then answered, "Molly, I understand where you are coming from and I trust that Harry wouldn't act in any way other than that of a gentleman, but the world is the world and some things, regardless of how innocent they are, don't appear as innocent to people not involved. Its things like this that ruin people's reputation, not just Harry's, but yours also. I'm sorry, but I'm with Harry on this one."

Molly's shoulders drooped and then she shrugged. "Fine, but we're stopping at Burger Bender on the way home. I'm starved. I really didn't think you would let me stay, but it was worth a try. I guess it's the couch for me after all."

I glanced at Murphy and raised my eyebrows. She nodded and we stood together. "Why not, Harry. We can talk on the way back." I grabbed my keys and we headed out into the rain.


	8. Trouble is My Middle Name

CHAPTER 8

Murphy pulled her car up to the curb at the Carpenter's house and dowsed the headlights, while leaving the car running. Molly had already popped open her door and was climbing out into the now misting rain, dragging her bag behind her a bit dejectedly. I shrugged and got out my door to walk Molly up to the door and check in with Michael.

Molly suddenly paused as she reached for the door. She turned to look at me over her shoulder as she held her palm a few inches from the wooden surface. Her face paled and the way she looked at me caused cold shivers to run down my spine, though it could also have been the fact that while still about four feet behind her I was just now feeling it.

"Something's wrong, Harry. My wards have been demolished and I don't know…but something isn't…Harry…" Molly's voice trailed off in a sort of high pitched screeching sob as she dropped her hand to her side and looked at me for help.

I got to about a foot behind her, grabbed her hand and yanked her away from the door, while at the same time whistling and motioning for Murphy to join us. Murph, God bless her, was at my side gun in hand before I could even form my next thought.

"What's wrong?" Murphy asked as she stepped up beside me and pushed Molly behind us.

"Don't know, but it's making my spidey senses all tingly. What ever it is, it tore through Molly's wards and managed to cross the threshold and with the exception of a church the Carpenter threshold is as good as they come." I reached into my pocket, only to remember that I left my rod and wand at home. The only weapons I had were my rings and shield bracelets.

"Yea, but didn't you tell me a threshold is only good against something, or someone uninvited. Molly said they were having a guest. They would have been invited right?" Murphy looked up at me.

I nodded before explaining, "But inviting them in wouldn't have trashed Molly's wards. The only way for that to happen is for someone or something to force its way through them."

Murphy turned to Molly, "Well, who were your parents expecting?"

"Umm, she's a friend of Dad and Mom. Dad met her several years ago on some assignment in England or something. I don't remember her name and I've never met her." Molly shrugged and glanced quickly from me to Murphy.

I sighed, my mouth going dry forcing me to swallow as I gently grabbed Molly's shoulder, forcing her to look at me before I asked, "Her name was Miss Marshall wasn't it?" I watched as Molly nodded, her jaw hanging open.

I held up my hand just as she started in on the how and whys. "Listen, she's my new client and she was at my office until about five, when she left saying she had plans to meet friends for dinner. I just now put the two together." I looked over at Murphy who was still standing beside me with her gun drawn, in a pose that somehow managed to appear relaxed, though I knew she was ready for just about anything.

"Dresden is it just me or is it way too dark and quiet in there for a house full of kids?" Murphy motioned to the door and I realized that she was right. There weren't any lights on at all and while there should be at least be some kind of noise coming from inside the house it was eerily quiet.

I irritably scratched at the drops of sweat and or rain that had formed on the back of my neck. Michael and Charity were my friends and Michael had risked his life for me so many times that even with my extended life expectancy as a wizard I don't think I would ever be able to pay him back. I really, really hated not knowing what I was getting into.

I held up the arm with my shield bracelets and fisted my other hand, reassured as I felt the rings gently click together. I stepped up to the door and turned the knob. The door swung in easily and I looked around. Everything appeared normal, but it was still very quiet. I nodded to Molly, who went in ahead of me under a veil. Once inside she invited me in, which was important as it would allow me the full use of my magic. I felt the threshold let me pass as I entered and moved past Molly so that my shield would offer all of us protection. Murphy followed me it and took up her position as rear guard.

Nothing seemed amiss in the house. There wasn't one thing out of place, yet I felt the heaviness of something sinister hanging over us. It felt like continually walking through cobwebs. You know it's there but when you try to find the one little thread clinging to your face you can't quite get a hold of it.

I headed into the kitchen and noticed that the dinner dishes had been cleared away and there was a note on the refrigerator. I grabbed it and read it aloud while Murphy moved around the kitchen in cop mode.

"Molly, I don't know where you are, and we WILL talk about that later, but if you get home before we do (and you had better hope you do!) I just wanted you to know that we are over at the church helping Father Sullivan get ready for the Summers End Fair. It would go a great deal to reducing your punishment if you show up to help us. Love, Mom"

I watched Molly's face, saw her jaw relax, eyes roll and then the small flicker of fear return to her eyes. Murphy continued her "cop on the scene" stroll around the kitchen and into the family room. Meanwhile, I was mentally slapping myself for not grabbing my wand, or blasting rod before I left my place. I was a bit relieved that the Carpenters were at the church, but the heavy feeling remained. All I know is that something dark had smudged the place.

Murphy had finished her walk through and was back in the kitchen, holstering her gun, "The house is clear Harry. I know you get these funny feelings and all, but maybe everything is OK this time." She leaned against the counter and crossed her arms.

I shook my head, "It's the wizard thing Murph. I can feel it, like when some slimy perp is lying to you…and you just kind of know it. Same thing." I shrugged and she gave me an acknowledging half nod of the head. I knew she got it.

Molly had opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. She stood in the doorway between the kitchen and family room idly twisting the cap. I decided I would open my sight. I had just recently started teaching Molly how to use her third eye and figured this would be as good a time as any to see how she did.

"Molly, remember our last lesson. I'm going to open my third eye and look around. I think you should give it a try. Do you remember what Bob and I told you?" I had taken the three or four steps to stand in front of her and she looked up at me swallowing hard as she nodded.

"Um, do you think I can do this? I mean you and Bob made it clear I may not like what I see and that if I don't I'm not going to be able to get the images out of my head. The normal stuff is scary enough sometimes. From what Bob told me the hidden things can be hundreds of times worse." The was a little waver in her voice and her hands shook so much that she nearly dropped the water bottle.

I caught her hands, steadying them as I spoke, "You don't have to do this, but the fact that you're scared is a good indication that you are actually ready to give it a try. I'm going to do this too, so you won't be the only one seeing it and it may give us a few clues as to what is going on. I'll talk you through, OK. So, you ready?"

Molly nodded and closed her eyes. "OK, take a breath in and focus your thoughts to the middle of your forehead. Imagine there is an invisible eye there that is always closed. Now focus a bit of your will on opening that eye. Let yourself actually feel it open. When it is open, blink once then open your eyes." Just as I finished I also closed my eyes, focused on doing the same and then allowed my third eye to open as I opened my eyes back up and took a look at Molly. The process was little more than reflex for me, but Molly would need the actual visualization to do it until the process finally became familiar to her.

I watched Molly as she opened her eyes and looked around. I knew from previous experience what the Carpenter house looked like with the sight. It was all new to Molly and the expression on her face was almost comical, especially when she looked at Murphy.

She gave a nervous chuckle when she looked up at me. She started to tell me something, but I stopped her with a shake of my head, "Uh-uh. No, no and no. Don't you dare tell me what you see. I promise I won't tell you and you don't tell me. There are a few things in life I never want to know and one of them is what my soul looks like." I held up my hand as she started in with the, "yea, buts" and the "but I wanna knows", and simply crossed my arms and shook my head.

She gave up with a resigned sigh and turned back to Murphy, who still stood leaning against the counter in her third eye glory. Karin Murphy, as I have said before, actually radiated an almost golden light. Her gun appeared as a sword and there were small, feathery wings extending from her back. She was a warrior fighting for everything pure and righteous in a world of grunge and malevolence, and every time I saw her I was reminded of how eternally grateful I was that she chose to fight by my side.

Molly was enthralled at what she saw in Murphy also, but we didn't decide to open our sight to admire Murphy so I cleared my throat and nudged Molly into action. I watched Molly as she glanced around the kitchen.

Molly appeared a bit different from the last time I had seen her through my third eye. She was still a bit tarnished from her brush with black magic, and I knew that the black smudge over her heart would never actually fade, but she did shine a bit brighter than she had. There was still a bit of grayness, that I anticipated would give way to the light that I knew was inside the kid. I really hoped the gray didn't start blending in with the black smudge and overtake her, because that would most definitely not be good for keeping my head attached to my shoulders.

Molly smiled at the warmth the kitchen all but glowed with. The good times and love the kitchen had seen made the place, as I mentioned before, about as strong as a church against all things bad and bump in the night like. I headed back to the front door and surveyed the foyer. It looked about like it felt. Very dark, very thin strands of black hung here and there in no apparent pattern as if some evil spider had dropped down from the ceiling leaving behind a tarry strand of web. I could see the wards on the front door. They actually hadn't been demolished, but there was another more intricate pattern inscribed over them.

The new sigils weren't malicious in and of themselves, but they completely deactivated the wards that Molly had placed as part of her apprenticeship. I had personally reviewed her wards and while they weren't the strongest they would have been effective enough to let anyone know they weren't welcome. I was a bit scared at what I saw. The power needed for the type of spell that counter acted another wizard's wards, as well as allowing them entry over an extremely strong threshold was virtually unheard of. I suppose Ancient Mai and the Merlin could pull it off, but then they wouldn't have used this type of magic as it was a bit too close to the black for their comfort.

The threads seemed to appear throughout the foyer and living room, but gradually decreased in number toward the back of the house. There were none in the kitchen, and only two or three in the family room. I darted upstairs, but the threads seemed confined to the first floor. Coming down the stairs I found Molly standing outside on the porch, the front door wide open as she perused the outside of the house. I joined her and looked up at the house that Michael Carpenter had built.

There were thin, black trails starting in the grass and snaking up the front door and the windows that flanked it. They reminded me of the slimy trails that garden slugs left on the sidewalks and cobbles in my uncle's gardens. Molly had wrinkled up her nose as she glanced around. I put my hand on her shoulder and talked her through closing her sight. I mentally clicked mine off and blinked. I felt a little wobbly, as I usually do after using my sight and having forgot to warn Molly, caught her as she stumbled into me. I sat her down on the front steps and let her find her balance as she leaned against me.

Murphy, having been following me showed up in the door jamb. "So, you see anything?" She squatted down beside me and smiled at Molly, who was still leaning against my left shoulder.

"There are some kind of counter wards inscribed over Molly's." I motioned to the door and then pointed to the ground as if Murphy could see what I had, "There are also magical, black slug trails from the grass up the house, covering the door and these two windows," I motioned to the windows beside the house, "and then there are sticky, black tendrils hanging all over the foyer and living room and thinning out as you head toward the family room. There weren't any in the kitchen or upstairs. I don't know what they are, or where they came from, and while I really don't want to know what their purpose may be, I have a feeling it isn't good. I think the Carpenter family should spend the night somewhere else and that you and I should come back with Bob and maybe even a potion and take a longer look around."

Molly suddenly straightened up and lurched from the porch to empty her stomach of the Double Bender Burger she had scarfed down on the way over. Murphy was almost instantly beside her, holding her hair out of her face and helping her wipe her mouth as she murmured something, obviously soothing, in Molly's ear.

Molly looked up at me, "When you and Bob told me about what I might see and how it might make me feel did you happen to simply forget the dizziness and puking?"

I smiled a bit sheepishly, "Bob did the same thing to me, and I learned just fine so I figured it wouldn't hurt you any either." I stood and turned to pull the door shut. Murphy hadn't found me the least bit funny, but rather cruel and she told me so as she slugged my right arm. "Ouch! Hey, that hurt."

"Serves you right Dresden, you could have at least warned her you know." Murphy glared at me as I began to add my own wards over the door. I added a few I knew would knock even a moderately strong demon on their butt and then had Molly add a few of her own also. When we were done we headed to the car.

"OK, so now we go talk to Father Sullivan and Michael." I caught Molly's eyes as she opened the back door of Murphy's car. "It seems that your family is somehow involved. I don't know what that means, but your dad might. Maybe he's working on something. I know how he is with his never believing in coincidence or fate." I shrugged, "Sometimes I think he might be right."

Molly kind of half smiled then nodded as she ducked into the car, pulling her door behind her. Murphy glanced at me over the hood of the car and asked me if I thought we were in for trouble. I nodded and told her exactly what she already knew. You know how it goes, "Trouble is my...", well it's not, but if there was trouble…I was sure to find it.


	9. Go Ahead, Make My Day

After arriving at the church, and speaking with Michael, Charity and both Father Forthill and the younger Father Sullivan, it was decided that Father Forthill would take Charity and the children to the home of another family in the parish and Michael and Father Sullivan would head back to the house with Murphy and I. I had only met Father Sullivan a couple of times before and he seemed to be a likable kind of guy, in fact he had even had a beer with me a few weeks before, but his very sudden arrival in the parish had upset the Carpenters and Father Forthill.

Michael had explained that his ideas, while popular with the younger members of the church, didn't click with the older, more settled church goers who tended to view some of his ideas as incongruent with church teachings. Michael respected the older ways, but managed to see the appeal and even necessity of a more modern take on some of the older church traditions and he told me he actually liked Father Sullivan and hoped he was able to excite the younger church crowd.

We managed to make it back to the Carpenter house a couple of hours later. I carried my blasting rod and had thrown my brown messenger bag over my left shoulder. The leather bag held Bob's skull as well as my wand and a collection of potions Bob felt might come in handy, like the Boy Scouts say, "always be prepared." I'm pretty sure they don't give out merit badges for fighting trolls and faeries or any of the other things that scare kids into cowering in bed, but hey, the premise is still good.

I had told Father Sullivan about my being a wizard over that beer we had. He had laughed, nodded and then insisted I call him Josh, which I do, but not around Murphy or the Carpenters. He told me that his mother had some basic magical ability, but being from a strong Catholic family she had never been allowed to express it. Josh's father never knew anything about it, but Josh was able to sense magic, though he claimed he had no abilities himself. I was inclined to believe him, mostly because I didn't feel any magic on him, but he was able to somehow point out others who had magical ability with eerie accuracy.

He knew Molly was well on her way to becoming a strong wizard and he had felt the latent power in Charity. He knew that Michael and Murphy, while not actually having their own ability managed to channel great strength at times. Like I said, I liked him. He was down to earth, he drank and he swore a blue streak when I beat him playing darts.

Murphy had met Bob before, however Father Sullivan and Michael hadn't. I called Bob out and let Murphy give them her explanation of what he was, which was simply, "Bob? Well, he's the friendliest ghost I know."

Bob bowed nicely at Murphy, nodded to Josh and Michael and then raised his eyebrows to me, "Oh, goody a field trip." Bob quipped acidly, "What exactly can I do for you Harry?"

I motioned to the house and explained what we had found earlier. Bob nodded, grasped his hands behind his back and cocked his head as he began to walk toward the front door. The three of us stood on the sidewalk and watched as he walked then paused before walking through the front door. When he reappeared on the front porch and waved at us we finally followed him into the house.

"Harry, there are spells everywhere, much like the one we found on your shirt. I'd guess they were cast by the same person, though these aren't the same kind." Bob turned and began to work a spell. He moved his fingers and symbols began to take shape, glowing faintly in the air in front of him. When he had finished with the written part of his spell he began a quiet chant in a language lost long ago. The archaic syllables flowed effortlessly from his tongue, as if they were his native language, which I suppose they could be since I had no clue what he said. I struggled so much with my mixture of self-taught Latin and nonsense words that I always kind of envied the way Bob's spells sounded.

When Bob finished, sigils glowed around us everywhere. The ceiling looked like it had been strung with small Christmas lights. My guess would be that each light corresponded to the tendrils we had seen earlier. Bob's voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Harry, I'm pretty sure these are meant to be some kind of warning system. They don't pose any threat to anyone and they are only activated by the presence they were meant to detect. They won't hurt us, even though they were created with dark magic. The ones out front serve as a marking, though I have no idea what for." Bob spoke as he wandered slowly about the family room and kitchen.

Beside me Michael shuddered, "I don't like it. How did they get here and how can we get rid of them?" He turned to look me in the eye, anger, concern, and even a little bit of fear shining in them, "Harry just how in the world did someone manage to get in here and do this?"

I honestly had no clue and I completely understood Michael's anger and fear. I felt the same way when I found the spell on my shirt. I shook my head, put my hand on Michael's arm and as reassuringly as I could I said, "I don't know, but I mean to find out."

I glanced around for Bob and asked him, "Hey, do you think a cleansing ritual would get rid of it?"

Bob paused thoughtfully and nodded slightly, "A cleansing ritual would probably work. These spells aren't strong. The caster wouldn't have been able to give each of them much power because there are so many." Bob looked up at the ceiling and added, "I don't think they'll last long either. What we really need to figure out, Harry, is how they got here in the first place. I studied the larger ones and if I had to guess I would say they have a faerie component to them." Bob strolled to the front door and pointed out the largest grouping of symbols, "That is classic dark faerie magic. I think we have a changeling on our hands; half faerie, half something else, and utterly worrisome."

Murphy and I had followed Bob to the front door. I reached out and traced the part of the spell that Bob had indicated with my index and middle fingers. Murphy leaned into me as I did. I immediately felt a small shiver start at the base of my spine, as if someone had run an ice cold finger the entire length of my back. Murphy noticed and gave me that questioning look of hers. I returned her look with my, oh so convincing, "Everything will be OK" look and had to stifle my smile when she rolled her eyes. Murphy knew me better than most people and regardless of what I wanted her to think she always knew the truth.

It was her mumble of, "Yeah, right," that bothered me.

"What?" I asked, with a little more irritation in my voice than I had really meant there to be.

"Nothing, Harry…everything will be fine after all. We all know nothing ever goes wrong with the great Harry Dresden around. Bob's spell will work, you'll find my lion slayer, you'll find the missing brother and everyone will live happily ever after!" Murphy's voice had risen to the point where she was almost screaming. She huffed away from the front door, but turned around to face me as I took a step toward her.

"What the hell is your problem? I'm doing my best here. You want to find another wizard to fight all your nasties, go right ahead. I never said I would do any of that. I don't even give a damn about it anyway. My job sucks, but it pays the bills. I'll do my job and TRY to find your lion killer, the brother, the spell caster and consider this a warning to anyone that gets in my way. So don't go around getting in my way Murphy, don't even think about it." I was so angry I wanted to shake Murphy until she snapped, and I had no idea why I felt that way. I mean all I could think about was fighting. Part of me knew it wasn't right, but the violence was threatening and pushing me places I didn't want to go.

Murphy took two steps toward me she shouted, "Consider this a warning!"

She dropped into a leg sweep that had me on my back, staring up at the ceiling in two seconds flat. She stood over me panting, eyeing me like a predator waiting for their prey to move before they pounced.

I felt blood at the corner of my mouth and realized I had bit my lip when I fell. As I thought about my next move, which was to figure out how to bring Murphy down and pound the daylights out of her, I wiped the dripping blood away with my fingers. As soon as the blood touched my fingers I felt disoriented and shook my head. Immediately, I realized what had happened. When I had touched the spell it had transferred to me, when Murphy had touched me, it had transferred to her.

We really weren't fighting each other, the spell was making us fight and just like before when Mouse had scratched me, my blood managed to break out the spell. I looked up at Murphy, who was still intent on attacking.

"Murph, this isn't us. It's a spell. Calm down and I'll help you." I didn't move from my position. I knew Murphy's martial arts skill would be no match for my clumsy attempt to get gracelessly from the floor.

I glanced at Michael, who was watching as he inched his way closer to Murphy. I shook my head at him, "If you touch her, the spell might end up on you and you'll start fighting too. We…"

Murphy cut me off, "Shut the hell up Dresden! You and I are going to finish this. I'm sick and tired of your know it all, superman, gotta help the lady in distress attitude. It's the fucking twenty-first century. I don't need your kind of help anymore!" Murphy reached calmly for her gun, released the safety and pointed it at my head, "You can stay the hell away from me forever."

She didn't move, just stood over me breathing hard and swallowing. I was surprised to see tears in her eyes, one of which was making slow progress down her nose. I held my hands up in a gesture of submission and as stealthily as I could I got my hand to my bleeding lip and collected a few fingers full of blood. Closing my eyes I saw us a few minutes ago; Murphy leaning her left upper arm against me as I touched the symbols on the door. I took a couple of breaths and nodded.

Bob realizing what I was going to do cleared his throat loudly and started to chant. Everyone in the room, except me, was startled enough to glance at him. It was just enough of a diversion. I lunged up, knocked the gun from Murphy's hand with my shoulder and barely managed to spread the blood onto Murphy's left arm before she turned and threw her weight behind a wicked right-handed punch that glanced off my jaw just as she started to pull back, both arms dropping suddenly to her sides.

Murphy's half-punch didn't hurt but it had enough power to send my off balance bulk sprawling back to land hard on my ass. Everyone in the room was still. Murphy was facing me. She was pale and as her eyes caught mine I saw her horror and shame. She took a couple of steps toward me, but was stopped when Michael unexpectedly stood between us, Amoracchius in hand. I realized he didn't know the spell was broken.

"It's over, Michael, she's back with us." I said as I began struggling to my feet.

Michael lowered Amoracchius and held out his hand to help me up. I stood and wiped at my lip again. It took me a moment to realize that there was an underlying hum in the air. I looked around to see Father Sullivan on his knees, deep in prayer, a soft glow, reminiscent of the northern lights, flowing outward from him. The hum was in time to his prayer. Wave after wave of the light swept through the house and as it touched the sigils they suddenly glowed brighter then went out, much in the same way a light bulb does when you flip a switch and it pops on then out for the last time. He continued his prayer as Michael knelt beside him.

Murphy stood shaking, tears clinging to her eyelashes. I was at her side as quick as I could. She tried to step away as I placed my hand on her shoulder, but I wouldn't let her and after struggling for less than a second she let me pull her into my arms where she buried her face in my shirt and pulled herself together.

I bent my head to her hair and whispered that it was over and everyone was safe. I savored the feeling of Murphy in my arms for the short period of time she allowed it, but I didn't hold her any longer than she needed me to. All too quickly she pulled back and wiped at her eyes.

She looked miserable as she simply said, "I'm sorry Harry."

I grabbed her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze, "I know Murph. I saw you struggling, it was the spell."

She squeezed my hand in return, but didn't drop it when she looked me in the eye and said, "I didn't mean any of that, I knew I didn't want to fight, but I couldn't help it. It was like someone else was making me do it and it was killing me inside that I couldn't stop."

"Me too, I had a similar experience earlier with my client, but then it was one sided and from what Bob tells me all in my head." I smiled at her and turned to catch the last of the sigils disappear in a pop of light.

Michael and Father Sullivan continued the prayer for half a minute more as Murphy and I stood and watched. The soft light had now filled the entire first floor and I was surprised when I didn't see Bob anywhere. The prayer stopped and the light slowly faded, only then did Bob appear again.

Murphy gently disentangled her hand and walked over to where Michael and Father Sullivan were getting to their feet. I turned to face Bob with my eyebrows raised, and I was about to voice my question as to where he had been when he raised a hand to me and began explaining.

"It was the prayer, Harry. I swear it was a spell. The purpose of which was to disperse magic. As I am a being whose entire existence relies on magic I feared it would separate me from my skull. I was afraid to test my hypothesis, so I went as far as I could." Bob explained this with worry and pain on his face.

Bob's disappearance ensured his continued servitude. He may have had a chance to be free of his curse, but he chose to stay with me and for that I was thankful. I opened my mouth to tell him he shouldn't have done it, but he shook his head and smiled sagely.

"Harry, you are my only true friend. I love you as if you were my son, and before you get all sappy on me remember I honestly have no idea how my staying to be 'flashed out' would have gone. It's possible I would have simply ceased to exist, which I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have enjoyed. Beside, you need my help. You wouldn't last a day without me." He winked and then disappeared into his skull.


	10. Fear, Pain and Solace

CHAPTER 10

_Author's note: This chapter is entirely__** M**__ and contains graphic sexual content. If you are under age or find such things offensive, please skip this chapter. I really hadn't planned on including anything like this in this story, but sometimes a story goes where it chooses. _

Michael and Father Sullivan chose to spend the night at the Carpenter's house so Murphy drove me home. She followed me into the apartment to grab the duffel she'd left. She kept avoiding my eyes; I knew she was still dealing with what had happened. It was close to three in the morning and I was physically and emotionally beat. I was sure Murphy was too so, I offered to sleep on the couch and give her the bed, but Murphy being Murphy turned me down.

Still without looking at me she bent to pick up her bag and spoke to the floor, "Tomorrow's my day off…I'll sleep in and go to the gym later. If you find anything, though call me." She quickly turned to leave, but paused as she opened the door.

I could feel her unease as she stood there for a minute struggling with her thoughts. I didn't say anything, only moved quietly to stand behind her. The hand on the door was trembling, and I knew she was fighting tears. It was rare for Karin Murphy to show me, or any one else, what she felt or that she had a weakness. I didn't push. I simply stood there and waited.

She sobbed and it sounded as if her heart was being ripped out. I felt like part of my own heart was broken and in that second I knew I couldn't let her leave. I placed my hand firmly on hers and pushed the door closed. She didn't fight me, but she didn't move either. Still standing behind her I gently pulled her hand from the door and wrapped both of my arms around her. I bent and kissed the top of her head, but didn't say anything.

Her entire body was now wracked with her sobs. I held her as she cried, wishing I could do more, but not knowing what. I felt my own eyes tear up. Murphy was always so strong. Her tears were scarier to me than earlier when she was pointing a gun to my head. I could at least understand that Murphy, I knew how to talk to that one. This side of her terrified me.

She had been keeping her head down and face away from mine, but she slowly lifted her head and turned to look over her shoulder at me. I pulled back just enough to meet her eyes and was shocked by the pain I saw in them. I turned her to face me, still in my arms. She wiped her face with her hands, though she continued to cry. I pulled her against my chest and was slightly surprised to feel her stretch up on her toes to encircle my neck with her hands.

I barely realized what she was doing when she fairly suddenly pulled my head down to hers and kissed me. I stood still for several seconds, too shocked to even register what was going on. Part of me felt this was wrong and wanted to pull back and push her away. But it was that other part, the often neglected, very male part of me that won the battle. I pulled her closer and kissed her back.

Murphy had started the kiss rough and I didn't gentle it in anyway. My tongue battled with hers and it wasn't long before I tasted blood. Hers or mine I didn't know and I didn't care. I felt like I was starving, for pleasure, for pain, for Murphy or simply to feel alive; it didn't matter.

A dam inside me broke and I poured everything into that moment. I slid my hand into her hair and almost brutally slanted her head to an angle better suited to my assault. She made a sound deep in her throat, somewhere between a whimper and a moan, but she continued the kiss and even pressed herself more firmly against me.

Her hands, which had been gripping my shoulders, were suddenly yanking on my t-shirt, pulling it up and away as her hands found skin. I felt her nails graze my ribs and I shivered. I pulled my lips from hers and with my left hand still in her hair I forced her head back to look her in the eyes. I needed to know if this was what she really wanted. There was too much between us to risk something like this possibly screwing it up.

She groaned in frustration when the kiss broke, but she looked at me. Her eyes were red from her tears, but glazed with passion and frustration. Her lips were swollen, bruised and slightly parted as she panted for breath. Several emotions flitted across her face as I watched. I was apprehensive about which one would win the small war taking place in her head and I almost smiled when she began to move sensuously against me. I slid my hands to her hips to still her. Her eyes had never left mine and her hands were turning lazy circles on each of my sides.

"Karin?" Simply her name, but with it the question of whether she was sure as well as a plea that she wouldn't stop me. I stood my hands holding her still while I held my breath. My heart pounding so hard I was sure she could hear it. God only knew how badly I wanted her, how many nights I woke rock hard, and sweating wishing things between us were different.

I watched her swallow and wet her lips with her tongue, and then she nodded and all but whispered, "Please…Harry."

It was all I needed. I pulled her roughly against me and yanked her head back again as my mouth ravaged hers. Her tongue fought mine as her hands continued to push my shirt up and I barely recognized the keening moan as mine when she scraped her nails across my nipples. She pulled back and settled down on her feet, replacing her nails with her teeth and tongue.

I groaned and held her head with my hands before quickly tearing the shirt over my head and dropping it where I stood. I thought Murphy's lips and tongue were driving me mad until I felt her fingers graze the waistband of my jeans. I threw my head back as I felt her small hands barely skim across the flesh above my fly before skirting quickly away to rake lightly up my side. I bit my lip and tasted blood.

We still stood with Murphy's back to my front door and I backed her against it as I lifted her to my height. Her legs went immediately around my waist and I ground myself against her. She cried out softly and pressed herself urgently against me. I started on her shirt, tugging it out of the waist of her jeans and shoving it up over her breasts, but her shoulder holster was in the way. She gave a groan of frustration, but immediately began to tug it down her shoulders. It landed with a thump at my feet. I pulled her shirt up and over the arms she held over her head then tossed it behind me somewhere as I buried my face in her neck.

She buried her hands in my hair and continued to grind herself against me as I kissed her neck and ran my tongue up around the shell of her ear. She shivered from head to toe when I whispered, "You are so fucking beautiful. God I need you," before capturing her mouth with mine again.

I slid my left arm behind her neck and with my right pulled her legs from my waist so I could carry her from the door to my bed, but our lips remained locked together so it wasn't surprising to me when I tripped. We landed on one of my couches. Murphy lay beneath me, with her hands pressing against my chest and gasping for breath. I saw the small smile play across her lips and could almost hear whatever sarcastic comment might accompany it, but when I shifted my weight and my knee pressed compellingly between her legs her eyes drifted closed, she threw her head back and gasped.

I gave up coherent thought and figured here was good enough. I grasped both her small hands in my left hand and pinned them above her head. She wiggled against me, but didn't fight it. I used my right hand to quickly unclasp her bra, noting it was a black lacey little thing. I took a moment to catch my breath as I looked at her.

I wanted to see her, but there was only one candle lit so I whispered quickly under my breath and pointed at the four I wanted lit. Gentle candle light spread over us and paused to let my eyes get their fill. Her breasts were perfect, and were larger than I had thought. Her rosy nipples were erect and her breasts lifted and fell with her breathing.

I bent and stopped a breath away from her right breast. Murphy arched her back, raising her chest to my lips, but I pulled back and smiled mercilessly when she groaned her frustration at me. I placed my palm between her breasts, not touching her near enough to make her happy, and gently pushed her back against the couch.

"Patience…you know, Karin, they say it's a virtue." I smiled when she attempted to roll her eyes only to be stopped when I traced her right areola with my index finger.

She trembled and groaned out, "Damn it, Harry. Stop. The fucking. Games."

She wiggled and while pressing herself against my knee, brought her left foot up to press against my fly. It was my turn to moan and my grip on her hands loosened enough for her to pull free and force my head to her chest. I gave up and circled first her right and then her left nipple with my tongue before drawing the left in, biting it roughly only to soothe it quickly with a gentle kiss.

Murphy jerked beneath me, her head pressed back against the couch while she struggled to grind against my knee. I continued to tease her breasts with my mouth and fingers while she struggled with the fly on my jeans. I felt the fly open, button, by button. I didn't realize I was holding my breath until I felt her cool hand slide inside my boxers and I exhaled harshly against her breast.

Murphy showed me I wasn't the only one who knew how to tease. She avoided my cock, and increased my frustration by expertly running her fingernails down my belly and then up to my hip bones, never once actually touching me where I wanted her to most. By now my hands had found their way to her jeans and had managed to open the fly without any problem. I grasped her jeans at her hips and tugged them down over her hips. She didn't hesitate to assist me by lifting her bottom up and wriggling so I could get them off, even as she worked on toeing off her shoes.

I flung the jeans roughly to the floor as if they were cursed and couldn't suppress my smile when I saw that Murphy was wearing hot pink satin panties covered in black polka dots with a little lace bow in the center. I ran the index and middle fingers of my right hand over that bow and then down toward the damp, slightly darker satin between her legs. I was close to a comment on the panties when I felt her small hand press against my cock.

I inhaled sharply as every thought suddenly centered under that one palm. I heard Murphy purr beneath me as my fingers grazed her clitoris. I didn't pause but pressed lower then returning my fingers back to the bow. I slowly tugged the panties over her hips, purposely dragging my thumbs over her most sensitive parts. She shivered and was forced to pull her hand from my pants when I bent to pull them completely off her legs.

I smiled down at her; she was completely naked and waiting. I bent her right leg and placed it on my shoulder. She gasped when I cupped the outside curve of each breast, just teasing her nipples before I dragged my hands down her side to settle at her hips.

I was breathing heavily, but I wasn't ready for this to end. I turned my head and placed a gentle kiss just below Murphy's right knee. She made a sound like a cross between a giggle and a moan that turned into a definite moan as I continued; a kiss at her knee, just above it, then my tongue running from there to the point where her thigh met her ass.

My mouth was just a breath away from her, and then on her. My tongue teasing her slickened labia, tasting her before I pulled her against my mouth and my tongue found her clitoris. Stroking and sucking as she bucked against me desperately. Her hands in my hair, gripping almost painfully as she pressed against me moaning and begging. Her small gasps of, "Please, Harry. God, please," almost sent me over the edge.

It took a minute for my fuzzy brain to register she was talking and trying to pull me away by my hair. I pulled back enough to look up at her, she was up on her elbows and her eyes were desperate when she sat up further and pulled me at my shoulders. Confused, but obedient I came up and pulled her into my arms. She pulled me to her and kissed me savagely, her tongue licking and tasting herself on me. If it was possible my cock grew harder and I groaned.

Her mouth left mine and travelled down my neck to my chest. I mumbled my thoughts, "Murph, I wasn't done down there yet." I felt her smile against my left nipple before playfully biting it.

"Shh." She lapped at my right nipple, "kept trying to tell you." Her tongue going a little lower, "I won't come that way." She was now kneeling between my legs and struggling to get my jeans off. I stood and she yanked them roughly down and off before pushing me back onto the couch.

Finally free from the confines of my jeans and boxers, my cock throbbed and twitched as Murphy leaned over it. I could feel her hot breath just before her tongue tasted me. My entire body jerked in reaction as her mouth replaced her tongue. I fisted my hands on either side of me and tangled them in the throw that lay across my couch to keep from grabbing her head and thrusting myself down her throat.

I watched as she took me as deep as she could, sucking and licking, her hand moving on me just ahead of her mouth; up and down, in and out. It was beautiful and dangerous. I wanted it to go on forever, but needed it to end. I bucked involuntarily, making a desperate sound in my throat and she stopped. She smiled up at me from under her lashes and shook her head. She encircled me with her fingers and squeezed tightly at the base of my penis. The overwhelming need to come faded and after a few seconds she went back to work on me with her mouth and hands.

I let her torture me like that for what seemed like forever. I was forced to stop her after her mouth left my cock and started on my balls. Her tongue slowly traced around each of them before sucking them one by one into her mouth. All the while her hand continued it's up and down dance on my shaft.

I grabbed her roughly and pulled her up to straddle me. She didn't protest. I heard my roar to her moan as she lowered herself quickly onto me. She rode me hard. Our sweat slicked bodies gliding easily against each other while our mouths clashed, and our tongues battled. I had had enough, but needed more.

I pulled her to me and shifted so that she lay on her back. I pulled completely out and thrust violently into her. She whimpered but returned my thrust with equal violence. My fingers gripped her hips and I knew there would be bruises, but I didn't care. I needed this the way an addict needs his next high. I pushed harshly, and felt myself banging against her cervix. I heard her small cry of pain and caught her eye as I slowed and gentled just a bit.

Murphy rolled her hips and cried out desperately, "Don't fucking dare. Damn it, Dresden, Fuck me!"

I snarled and bucked against her again, while moving my right leg over her left so that I could get even deeper. She met me thrust for thrust, and pulled me down for a kiss. I brought my left hand up and tangled it in her hair while we kissed. I knew I wouldn't last much longer. I gripped her hair tighter and growled out, "Come for me Karin," and she did.

Her eyes with mine the entire time as she convulsed around me. I shuddered at the strength of it and pressed more desperately into her, only to feel her shudder around me again as she gasped and groaned. This time her eyes drifting shut as her head fell back into my hand. It was all I could stand.

"Look at me Karin. I want you to see what you do to me." When her eyes met mine I thrust twice more and came, buried deep.


	11. The Next Day

_Author's Note: This is pretty much a transition between the previous chapter and the rest of the story and contains Murphy/Harry aftermath. It's barely angsty; mostly fluffy and fun with only an inch of forward story movement, but hey it's my story. I promise more plot in the next chapters. This chapter is back to a **T **rating, but the **M** will stand because of the previous chapter and who knows maybe something later...(Please review )_

CHAPTER 11

I woke to, "Harry, get up."

That was followed by a sharp poke in the side. I forced my eyes open and realized it was late in the morning. I gingerly lifted my head from the arm of the couch only to wince when I noticed the stiff neck. My left arm was hanging off the side of the couch and a large lump of purring cat was on my chest.

"Come on Harry, Molly was just here and I sent her out for some coffee, but she won't be gone long." Murphy stood looking down at me and poked me again.

"Mmm, what time is it?" I squinted at the door and guessed after ten.

"It's almost eleven. Now, get up. I'd tell you the shower was warming up, but since you don't have any hot water…" Murphy mumbled as she sat down across from me and bent to pull on her socks.

I pulled myself upright and started to stand, pushing Mister off my chest. The three claw marks he left behind indicating he wasn't too happy about his sudden departure. It wasn't until I was standing that I actually took a second to recognize I was completely naked, which after last night shouldn't bother me, but did.

As quickly as possible I made it to the bathroom and showered just as quickly, which wasn't difficult since cold water didn't encourage long showers. I exited the bathroom with a towel wrapped securely around my hips and took the steps to my bedroom two at a time.

While I buttoned up a pair of camouflage cargo shorts I tried to process what happened and what it meant. My thoughts and feelings were all jumbled up; shaken and stirred. Lost in my thoughts I barely heard Murphy come up the steps behind me.

I turned and saw her as she stood watching me from the top step. It wasn't hard for me to see that last night was heavy in her mind also.

"I had just got dressed when Molly knocked at the door." Murphy paused and tucked a wayward blond lock behind her ear, "I ah, told her we were working on a case and she should take Mouse for a walk then grab us all some breakfast and coffee while we finished talking."

I nodded, reached for my green t-shirt. I couldn't help speaking my thoughts out loud, "So, were you planning on sneaking out without talking to me?" The thought made me angry. I turned and pulled the shirt over my head and took a couple of deep breaths.

I was dreading to hear her answer, but needed to know. Call me insecure, but between my track record with women and my relationship with Karrin Murphy up until last night, I felt justified in my wariness.

I heard her sigh, and turned to see her shoulders slump a bit. She looked up at me and shook her head, a glimmer of tears in her eyes.

"Honestly, I'm not sure what I was going to do." She paused, swallowed and took a deep breath before she continued, "I only knew I needed to put some space between us so I could think clearer. When I woke up, with you…and I felt so…ah with what we… …well I couldn't think of anything but what happened and so… Oh, shit this is harder than I thought …"

Her voice trailed off and she blushed. I bit back a smile trying to remember if I'd ever once seen Karrin Murphy blush at anything. I still didn't have my answer, but when I heard the door I realized I wasn't going to get it just yet.

Murphy jumped and all but tumbled down the steps. She was in the kitchen before Molly had hung Mouse's leash up by the door. I ambled down slowly and forced a smile to my face.

Molly deposited two iced coffees, a smoothie and a paper sack that smelled suspiciously like breakfast on my small counter. I could hear loud music from the one earbud that dangled from her neck. She smiled when my stomach growled loudly and pointed at the sack.

"Two bacon, egg and cheese bagels and a couple of muffins," Molly glanced at Murphy and shrugged, "I wasn't sure what you liked."

Molly grabbed the smoothie, replaced the earbud and with bobbing head wandered over to crash on the couch. I winced at her choice of seating and even felt myself harden when thoughts of last night suddenly crashed into my consciousness.

To distract myself I rifled through the bag, grabbing a sandwich and handing the other to Murphy. I didn't even offer the muffins, Murphy ate like a man. A grabbed a coffee. I was actually thankful it was iced, given the heat of the day, and as I ate I leaned back against the counter.

Murphy sat on one of the bar stools that stood by my counter. Since I didn't have a table the counter more or less served as prep space, storage and dining room. We ate in silence for a minute or two, but I couldn't stand it anymore.

With my back to the counter I stood facing toward Murphy. I put my hand over hers as it rested on the counter and gave it a light squeeze. She smiled and squeezed back.

"Regardless of what changes because of last night and the gods know I don't have a clue as to what might, there is one thing that isn't going to change." I waited until her eyes met mine and then continued, "You are still my best friend and no matter what I'm here for you."

Murphy smiled, really smiled and nodded, "Thank you, Harry. I'll admit I'm a little overwhelmed, even a little embarrassed." Color crept into her face again, "I don't really know why I let last night happen."

Her words stung and my disappointment must have shown on my face because she was quick to add, "Damn, that didn't come out the way I meant it to." She looked down to where still held my hand and then ran her thumb over my knuckles. "You and I both know what's between us, but we've both been able to deal with it, to stop it before it went any further than flirting and friendship. Last night something was different."

I glanced over to the couch. Molly was humming loudly along to something with very little actual melody, her head moving in time to the music only she could hear.

I flipped my gaze back to Murphy's face and nodded, "Yes, you felt guilty for trying to kill me, you were scared and you wanted to feel reassured. Most people would consider sex for any one of those reasons normal."

Murphy gave me an impatient snort, "Yeah, ok like I've never tried to kill you before, or I've never been terrified with you or needed reassurance before? Earth to Harry…life with you is constantly terrifying, I often _actually_ want to kill you and, well just by being my friend you reassure me that the sun will rise tomorrow."

I smiled, resigned to knowing very little actual new information.

"OK, fine something was different." I sighed and crossed my arms over my chest.

I was willing to admit, for now anyway, that something had been different, because honestly, she was right we normally wouldn't have ended up fucking on my couch. But it still didn't change the outcome.

Murphy and I had forever changed the nature of our relationship. Even if we never slept together again it would always be there between us. If I didn't know how good chocolate was I would never crave it… and I was already craving Murphy. Realizing we weren't going to resolve anything now I went with humor.

"You couldn't at least give a guy a break? Maybe even a little ego boost? Are you sure it didn't happen because I'm just so athletic and sexy?" I waggled my eyebrows at her and brushed a chaste kiss against her temple before pushing away from the counter.

I had a lot of work to do and Molly, bless her little lying heart, was going to do mostly the manual labor kind. I informed her of just that by yelling to her from across the room.

She finally pulled the earbuds from both ears with an impatient, typically arrogant and teenaged, "What!"

I had yet to figure out how Molly managed to use such intricately complicated electric devices without problem, and if I hadn't already toasted two previous iPods, which by the way had each cost more than a month of groceries, I would have stalked over to her and yanked the offending ear pieces from her ears myself.

I pointed at Molly and then toward my lab, "You get to clean the lab," I held up my hand when she began to protest, "Which means you get to organize all supplies, ingredients, potions and books. Two potions boiled over yesterday and left sticky spots on the work table, so scrub that up and add a little polish. Little Chicago needs dusted," I eyed Molly critically, "carefully. I do not want a repeat of the last time!" Even I winced at the edge that had crept into my voice.

Molly put her iPod on my trunk and with head hanging like she was headed to the gallows gathered up the cleaning supplies from the small closet by the kitchen. She then made a show of stomping, in her two size too big tennis shoes down to my lab.

Murphy was eyeing me critically, "Aren't you being a little hard on her?"

"I don't think so Murph. The only reason she ever gets cleaning duty is if she does something stupid, like lie about where she is and why she's there. And the only reason she got that last little speech was because of her stupidity last time."

"Come on Harry, she's only a kid…she really means well I'm sure." Murphy chuckled.

I dropped onto my _other_ couch and patted the seat beside me, "Come on and I'll tell you the story of Molly's last cleaning adventure."

I waited for Murphy to sit down. She was still sipping at her iced coffee and I could tell the heat was getting to her as she pressed the cup against her forehead for a second. Poor thing wasn't used to my air conditionless accommodations. I swallowed hard when she followed that up by pressing the dripping cup to the skin that rose just above the top of her black tank. I cleared my throat sat back and to distract myself started the story.

"Last time ended with a small explosion that demolished several Little Chicago buildings and sent Molly to the ER for second degree burns, which of course only gave Charity more reason to occasionally dislike me."

Murphy chuckled beside me, "Like she needs another reason, Dresden."

"Yeah, well at first Molly made up some lie about accidentally doing this or that, but after I reminded her of what was at stake, namely her neck and mine, she told me the truth. She had tried to execute a tracking spell to find a certain young Warden." I glanced at Murphy and watched her smile and roll her eyes.

"Her stupidity and limited knowledge probably actually saved her life. " I ran my hand through my hair as I continued, "Her first mistake was her lack of awareness that any wizard worth his Morton's can sense a basic tracking spell and will usually throw the spell back to the wizard on the other end. Most of the time all you would get is a nice little zap, a warning. But, hypothetically that zap amplified through Little Chicago could have been deadly."

"Her second mistake was transposing two important characters in the tracking spell. The spell she actually ended up using was a 'find me' spell. Most wizards only used a 'find me' spell when they desperately need help. It's sort of like a magical SOS. O course, this SOS was dutifully followed up on by the young Warden when he sent a strong tracking spell back to find the wizard in distress."

"Uh-oh."

"Yeah, uh-oh is right. Mix the huge amount of magic I infused into Little Chicago with a bounce back and the magic behind a strong tracking spell and well…boom! It wasn't five minutes after the explosion and guess who showed up at my door?"

"Carlos Ramirez," Murphy smirked then continued with, "Well, at least it wasn't Morgan. And I guess we could at least admit that Molly has good taste in men."

Murphy smiled and rolled her eyes at my feigned hurt look.

"Yeah, but Molly's explanation of, 'Harry…hiccup…locked me in his…snort…lab and I…sob…ended up exploding part of his model when…hiccup,' didn't go over well at all, especially as her sobbing and snorting got louder as I was picked bits of glass and metal off the burns. Of course the violet and red waves of anger pouring into my aura didn't help either."

"I'm sure." Murphy nodded sagely, and tried to keep a straight face.

"Really Murph, it wasn't funny at the time, particularly when I rather suddenly found my throat at the end of an extremely sharp dagger. Molly quickly backtracked and explained to Carlos what had really happened and he finally put the knife down and started in on Molly himself, only in Spanish which I doubt did much good."

Murphy was laughing now and the sound of it was infectious. I found myself laughing as I continued.

"Anyway, Carlos eventually agreed to drive us to the ER. He even called to explain what happened to Charity in an attempt to keep me from her wrath. I was only saved by two facts. One that Molly actually took full responsibility and two that she wasn't hurt too badly. Her left forearm had a three by five inch burn and three fingers were blistered. Her only permanent reminder is a small two inch scar just below the bend in her elbow."

"I guess all in all she was lucky." I paused and frowned a bit, "Unfortunately, young wizards always screw up and honestly, sometimes the best way to learn what not to do is to do it wrong the first time. One thing I can guarantee: Molly will never again fail to accurately use a tracking spell or a 'find me' spell. I also doubt she will ever use Little Chicago again without my express permission and supervision."

Murphy laughed and leaned toward me a bit, "So how many spells did you screw up when you were younger?"

I smiled and shook my head, "Come on Murph, how long have you known me? I still haven't stopped screwing up spells. And I'm not about to give you anymore dirt, you already know enough to make my life a living hell."

In spite of how the day had begun I realized I was really enjoying myself and I was thrilled to realize that our easy friendship was still intact. My thoughts were interrupted by Bob's sudden appearance. The look on his face told me it was time to get back to work and I wasn't surprised when his eyebrows rose and he cleared his throat.

"Ahem, Harry. Have you forgotten that you have bills to pay and faerie wizard changelings to track down, among other things, or perhaps I should expect to be homeless soon?" He glowered at me then turned toward Murphy and as usual gave her a slight bow, "Ms. Murphy, how nice to see you this morning."

"Cut the crap Bob, you and I both know I never went home." It was Murphy's turn to glower, this time at Bob.

"And how would you know that? Spying again, Bob?" I shot the ghost an angry look just as Murphy explained.

"Well he popped into the bathroom while I was in the shower…he said he thought I was you." Murphy looked from me to the ghost and back again.

I eyed my mentor critically and recognized his guilty look, which really wasn't much different than his everyday look of annoyance, but the added sputtering usually cemented his guilt in my mind.

Bob unnecessarily straitened his ascot and brushed imaginary lint from his heavy velvet coat then attempted to look appropriately abashed. "Fine Harry, I am found out. It is not as if you showed anything approaching restraint in either action or sound. I believe it is quite possible that the lovely older lady next door heard you." He nodded toward the wall to make his point, "Besides, you can't expect me to hide in my skull when I wasn't expressly forbidden to leave it, while you two cavorted about like Tristan and Iseult. I may no longer be flesh and blood, but I am still a man."

I rolled my eyes and was about to threaten and berate when Murphy burst out laughing. I looked at her like she had lost her mind, she was laughing so hard she was crying. She held up a finger in a silent plea for a moment and attempted to catch her breath while both Bob and I stared in disbelief.

When she finally managed to pull herself together she stood wiping her eyes then moved to stand just in front of Bob as she spoke, "I honestly find it hilarious that I have to actually threaten a peeping-tom ghost, but here goes. Bob, so help me if you ever and I mean ever do that again I will personally sell your skull to the highest bidder on eBay."

Bob dropped his head and actually looked contrite as he bowed, "While I don't quite know what an eBay is, I understand your anger Milady and you have my sincerest apologies. It was rude and inconsiderate and I promise it will never happen again."

Suddenly, Murphy turned on me. I still sat so she was able to glower down at me, her finger thrust in my face, which reminded me of the nuns at the school my uncle had sent me to. I had to curb my smile when she started in on me with the same tone the nuns used when we were appropriately naughty.

"As for you, Dresden, if you don't make sure that ghost knows to stay the hell away from me when I'm, well when we're…um,"

I interrupted her with an innocent smile and a suggestive tone, "When you're hungry? Angry? Needing me to scratch your back?"

"You know damn well what I'm trying to say Harry. So help me if you don't make sure it doesn't happen again I guaran-damn-tee you'll never see me hungry, angry or needing anything scratched again!"

I smiled and nodded then turned to Bob. "You heard the lady, Bob. You are now forbidden to hover anywhere nearby when Murphy and I are _in flagrante delicto._"

Murphy gasped, I chuckled and Bob stood up as straight as possible and nodded curtly in my direction.

"Very well, However, I still must remind you that we have plenty of work to accomplish and sitting here conversing is achieving none of it." Bob added quietly then vanished.

"As annoying as he is, he's right." I stood and looked at Murphy, who was obviously still a bit angry.

I grabbed her hand and pulled her toward me, though I managed to resist the urge to actually pull her into my arms, and when she finally looked up at me I smiled.

"I'm really sorry about that. I usually ban him if I even think something might happen, he just took advantage of my lapse. It won't happen again, I promise." I traced my finger across my chest in the shape of an X, "Cross my heart, hope to die and by the way that actually means something to a wizard, so don't take it lightly."

I waited for her to smile back at me before teasing, "You do know that making Bob promise, 'never to do that again' implies there will be an 'again'?"

I didn't wait for her to respond just dropped her hand and walked toward my lab grinning like a kid on Christmas morning.


	12. Emotional Alchemy

CHAPTER 12

I was whistling by the time I entered the lab. Molly had already cleaned the work table and was about halfway through organizing my potion ingredients. She had a smudge of something brown and sticky on her right cheek and Bob was quizzing her on mineral properties and aura colors while he simultaneously rewrote the spell from the Carpenter's door from memory.

I eyed the spell cautiously. I knew Bob well enough to know that he would leave out just enough information to render the spell useless, but it was still disconcerting.

I smiled knowingly at Bob's chiding tone as he took Molly to task for confusing Tiger Eye with Tiger Iron.

"No, Molly," Bob paused for a theatrical sigh, "I know you don't realize the importance but pay attention. Now, once again, while it's true that they both do a fair enough job enhancing courage, it is the Tiger Eye that can increase vitality and arouse passion and physical strength while also aiding mental clarity. The Tiger Iron, on the other hand is capable of strengthening a wizard's force of will and it is especially useful as it can be utilized as a protective shield." Bob finally turned to face Molly and then added, "Mixing up the two can have nasty results." He paused and snorted, "Perhaps Harry will share with you what happened when he made the mistake of using Tiger Eye in the place of Tiger Iron."

I glared at Bob as Molly began begging me to tell her the story. I sighed, "The only thing I'm going to tell you is pay attention. Having a tribe of pixies attack you by humping every available inch of exposed skin, including your nose, was more than enough to cement the difference forever in my mind."

Molly's eyes rounded in disbelief and when I nodded, she burst out laughing. I put off any further discussion by reminding her she still had plenty of work to do. She continued to giggle, but she went back to her work.

I heard her mutter softly under her breath, "I'd give anything for a picture of that."

I was startled by the, "So would I," that came from the door.

Murphy stood there leaning against the door frame and it struck me how it felt right that she should be there. She raised her eyebrows at me and I knew she was asking me if it was alright for her to be there. I nodded and smiled as she descended down the last few steps.

She wiped at the sweat on the back of her neck, "If I would have known how much cooler it was down here, I would have been down here sooner." Murphy stood on the other side of Bob and stared up at the spell he had drawn in the air.

"Harry," she said warily, "is that the spell from last night and if it is why is it here?" I heard the small touch of anger and fear that made its way into the question.

"Yes, but Bob will leave out a crucial character or two and without an invocation to power it it's pretty much inert. Once it's finished we can study the individual components and see how it's put together. That alone might give us some clue as to the wizard behind it. Some wizards even leave a signature to ensure everyone knows who the spell belongs to. I'm not hoping to be that lucky, but hey you never know."

Murphy nodded cautiously and backed away from the spell. When she hit my work table she shimmied up to sit on it. Molly, who had been diligently working on the bottles up until this point, was standing and studying the spell.

"Molly, since it appears you've lost your concentration on Harry's pharmacopeia, you may as well tell me what you see." Bob's voice startled Molly and she jumped. "I don't need eyes in the back of my head young lady, only ears to realize that you were no longer moving glass bottles around."

Molly slouched uncomfortably, but moved closer to the glowing spell. She pointed to a single character near the middle of the complicated spell. It was surrounded by seven other characters. Honestly, I hadn't taken notice of it yet, as I was trying to figure out the transfer mechanism or prompt. These were usually along the borders of a spell, acting like a trap or dragnet. The spell would spring when the trigger was released.

"I don't really know, but something about this part seems off. It's almost like that character in the middle is being protected by the ones around it, but that's not right because of the way they are arranged, it's backwards, but it's not." Molly watched Bob as she spoke. His eyes sparkled while he nodded.

I eyed the grouping carefully. The center character was some obscure sigil that I'd seen used to denote malice in long forgotten spell books, but the seven surrounding it were the more common characters for lust, pride, pain, shame, love, jealousy and fear.

"As far as I can tell it doesn't make sense. From everything I've learned so far this spell shouldn't even work. I've never seen anything like it anywhere. The whole thing is constructed wrong." Molly cocked her head to the side and stared."

Bob turned to face us. "That character in the center is the _geminus contemno_, or double hate, and the reason the spell appears 'wrong' is that it's quite black. This part of the spell is the prompt." Bob paused and looked right at me, "Harry have you ever seen anything like this before?"

"Uh, no, not really, except maybe in my uncle's old grimoires and I didn't spend much time reading them." I glanced back at the spell and shivered.

"Well, I can't say I've seen it used since I was alive," Bob stated blandly and crossed his arms over his chest as he continued, "At one time it was used frequently to literally kill two birds with one stone. When used properly in a spell it would drive two parties to eliminate each other at any cost, which, of course, is what you and the Lieutenant attempted to do. What is strange about this one is that both parties must almost simultaneously touch the prompt, or in your case be in physical contact with another person while touching it. In addition, those two people must actually feel one of the surrounding emotions for each other."

Bob's frown echoed my own as he began to draw the complicated sigils and recite their meanings and specifications.

"This character can be used for lust, usually physical passion. The next one is for pride or specifically pride in someone else, not for something. Then one for pain, this symbol is almost always used to denote emotional pain or grief. Then we have the ones for shame, love, jealousy or envy and finally mortal fear."

I felt the heavy mantle of fear pull itself around me. I hated black magic. Yeah, I know I've occasionally dipped a toe into the brackish water of "grey magic" but knowing someone was going around using the black stuff so openly and skillfully, well it just made me really nervous.

Another frisson of unease hit me, "Bob, last night you said that the spells were practically harmless except to the person they were set for. Are you suggesting that this one was set for me?"

Bob shook his head, "Harry, look at the upper right corner of the spell. That small character by that ward, what does it say?"

I glanced at it and it was suddenly clear why I was able to trigger the spell.

"It means healer or healed. It was a meant for Zella." I scratched my neck irritably.

Bob nodded, "Since the character can be used to indicate healer or those who were healed you were able to force the prompt. Obviously you and Ms. Murphy share one of the afore mentioned emotions and when you touched it gave birth to your altercation."

"OK, fine but why was the prompt buried in the middle of the spell. It makes more sense to put it by the door knob or on the door frame where people are more likely to touch it." I was always thrilled to get answers, but I always found they simply raised further questions.

"It's because of the blessing, isn't it?" Molly said still looking a bit uncomfortable.

Bob beamed. Maybe you wouldn't guess it, but Bob always took pride in his student's achievement. I knew by looking at him that Molly was correct, but I was at a loss to how she knew it.

"Exactly," Bob stated simply.

When he saw my confused look he frowned, "Really Harry, did you ever read anything you were supposed to when you were younger? Ms. Marshalikov would have blessed the house upon leaving and that blessing involves placing ones hand in the center of the door as the blessing is said. The author of the spell obviously knew that and placed the prompt where she would most likely encounter it."

"Fine, but why wasn't Zella affected by the spell then?" I asked irritably.

"It appears that for some reason she didn't complete the blessing." Bob said thoughtfully, tucking his hands behind his back and pacing before the glowing equation.

I stepped back and leaned against the work table, just beside Murphy. "Is there any conceivable reason she wouldn't have done the blessing?"

Murphy spoke beside me, "Maybe she got spooked? It's always my first thought when a perp didn't do what a perp normally would do."

I glanced at her with my eyebrows raised and waited for her to explain.

"You know, like when a perp should have taken the rest of the money or the more expensive jewelry that was sitting right in front of him, or maybe he drops the murder weapon after being so careful with the actual murder. He probably got spooked. Heard something, saw something, or thought someone saw him, that kind of thing. Maybe this Zella saw something and got spooked from her normal routine. Maybe something made her feel she had to get out and get out now." Murphy shrugged.

I smiled, Bob smiled and Molly looked, well still a little lost. Maybe, Zella did get spooked. It may have been something she didn't even realize. I was pulled from my thoughts by the sound of Murphy's cell phone.

She had obnoxiously set the phone to ring the theme for America's Most Wanted and we were all treated to, "Bad boys, bad boys whatcha gonna do. Whatcha gonna…" before she managed to answer. She gave me an ornery smile; she knew I'd have that damn song in my head all day now.

"Murphy…Yeah…Where?...Are you sure?...No, that's because it's my day off…sigh...Fine, I can be there in half and hour…No, but you owe me…Sure, and you can buy…Thirty minutes, see ya."

We listened to Murphy's end of the conversation and she pointed up the stairs and almost simultaneously began climbing even as she was hanging up.

"I've gotta go Harry, it's part of a case I'm working on."

She was up the steps by the time I glanced at Bob and followed. Murphy moved quickly and efficiently as always and was adjusting the straps of her holster as I made it to my living room. She finished and then fished a light weight cotton jacket from her bag.

I stood leaning against one of the posts that separated my living area from my kitchen and waited as she pushed her arms through the sleeves of the jacket and zipped the duffel closed. It was awkward. Normally, I would have stayed in my lab, Murphy and I would have exchanged our normal goodbyes and sarcastic jibes then she would have left.

I cleared my throat, "Does this have anything to do with the lion?" I asked, knowing that it wasn't what I really wanted to say.

Karrin finally looked me in the eye and shrugged, "Not sure, though it might. I wasn't given all the details, but they said things looked funny. I'll take a look and let you know if I need you."

She pulled the duffel up off the couch and slung it over her shoulder as she stepped around the couch and walked over to stand in front of me. She glanced up then toward the door and gave me a thoughtful frown. I couldn't keep myself from brushing a finger down her cheek and under her chin, forcing her eyes back to mine.

She swallowed, "Harry, I…"

I interrupted her, "Murph, don't. You don't need to say anything."

She stared up at me, her pupils growing impossibly wide and just before she pulled me into the soulgaze I looked over her head. I wasn't ready for Murphy to see me that way, I didn't know if I ever would be.

She grabbed the hand that was still under her chin and pressed her lips to my palm. My hand still in hers she lowered both to her side and squeezed.

She gave an exhausted sigh, "I'll call you if I need anything and I'll see you later right?"

I nodded, squeezed her hand and bent to place a kiss on her forehead.

"Be careful then, OK?"

"I always am Dresden. It's you who always manages to make a mess of things remember?"

I laughed, released her hand and nodded, "So that's the thanks I get. I'll be sure to remember that next time you call for my expertise."

Murphy readjusted the duffel and headed for the door. "You don't care as long as I put in the check requisition. See ya, Harry."

The front door opened, then closed and Murphy was gone. I ran my hand over my face and took a deep breath. Needing the distraction I pushed away from the post and turned back toward the lab. I could hear Bob rattling on to himself, and possibly to Molly, as I went down.

"Convergence, why didn't I see that before? Well I wasn't looking for it, but then…Yes, that would make perfect sense if…there you are." Bob rubbed his hands together when he saw me, pure excitement on his face.

"Harry, this equation is more intricate than I thought and it's design is so cleverly complex it almost boggles even my mind."

Bob waved me over to his side and as I joined him I noticed that Molly was back to her work with my tins, bottles and boxes. Bob was about ready to pop.

"Harry, what is the most difficult part of a spell such as this?" Bob's eager voice made me smile.

I knew Bob wanted the answer, but I felt obliged to play stupid.

I rubbed thoughtfully at my jaw and paused dramatically. "Well, placement is always important, and depending on the spell it can be problematic, but since we know the reason this one was placed where it was that wouldn't be it. Then the actual equation for a complex spell can take years if you aren't familiar with them. I guess it could also be the timing and meter of the spell…"

I was interrupted when Bob, having grown past impatient with my game, mumbled under his breath. I caught curse words in several languages, all in one way or another derogatory to a wizard, before he exclaimed, "Power, Harry, power. You need to have someway to power the spell and this spell is strong, yet since it is a trap where does the power come from?"

Bob cocked his head to the side and raised his left eyebrow, "If you want fire, you call it up through words and will. How can a spell like this be placed for an indefinite period of time without a power source? White or black, all spells are invoked through words and will."

Bob paused suddenly and then began to pace, which was typical Bob behavior, whether worried, excited or just plain thoughtful. Bob was right and of course I had known the answer. I squinted intensely at the equation hanging in front of me and tried to figure out what Bob was on to.

"I see what you mean. This spell was strong, yet you said all the magic in the house was weak because it didn't glow overtly with power. Even though I felt the stain of the black magic on the house it was because the magic was so pervasive throughout, not because of one individual spell. So, since this spell wasn't written as a curse it would have needed a great deal of will to power it, but I still don't see what I'm missing?" I tilted my head to the side, on the off chance that it would improve my luck.

"Don't feel bad Harry. I have hundreds of years worth of experience and it took me quite some time to see it." Bob pointed to a character above and to the left of the _geminus contemno_, "Here."

Bob shifted his hand in a diagonal and pointed to the identical character below and the right, "and here."

"Convergence?" I glanced at Bob and he gave me an animated nod.

"Yes Harry, convergence." Bob waved his hand over his previous work, effectively erasing it and began to draw a more simplistic version of the equation.

I watched in fascination and disbelief. The spell didn't just require both parties to share one of the seven emotions it actually fed off the energy behind those emotions. The will required was supplied by its victims. I stood there staring, my jaw gaping as Bob finished his writing. Bob turned and looked at me, his smile grim.

"It is eerily dangerous in its simplicity. A merging of emotions from two people that then increases exponentially into something very different. The seven emotions are each extremely strong, this spell effectively transmutes them into murderous hate. It's emotional alchemy and black or not it is extremely brilliant."


	13. The Merlin Polka

_**Author's Note**: Sorry for the seriously long delay in updates. Once again school is either draining my desire to write or crushing every creative thought that drifts through my head, and work has been extrememly demanding also. Honestly, this isn't my best chapter, I've rewritten it 3 times and I haven't been satisfied with where it's gone. I'm afraid it will have to do since the longer I go without writing on a story the more likely it will never be finished and I really do want to finish this one. _

_Please review...they do increse my desire to keep writing. Thanks to those of you who have, as well to those of you who have added me to their story and or author alerts!_

CHAPTER 13

Great, now I had to deal with black magic that impressed Bob, and trust me impressing Bob with magic was something that was difficult to do. I was really starting to get cranky since we really weren't any closer to knowing who it was we were looking for and I really didn't care for being on the receiving end of this type of magic.

I remembered that Murphy had brought me the crime scene photos so I laid them out and had Bob take a look. He pointed out a few things, including the packet of herbs that had included the hairs, which reminded me that I had put a few in my pocket. I found them wrapped in a tissue in a desk drawer and pulled them out to lay them on the table.

With a glance from the hair to Bob I asked him to do his magic. Molly had followed us up and stood beside me and I was reminded that she had never seen Bob do this particular trick when she asked, "So what's going on with the hair?"

Bob stepped forward and placed his hand over the hair. With a sudden shimmer in the air around him he took on the form of a young man between 17 and 20 with a black bandana covering his shoulder length red hair. The kid was good looking, thin but muscular. I was surprised that it was a boy as I had honestly expected to see a woman based on the length of the hair.

Molly startled when the boy appeared and then startled again as Bobs form came back into view.

"That's pretty cool and all, but who is it?" Molly slumped down onto one of the bar stools and crossed her arms.

"Don't know, but maybe someone else will." I paused and gathered my thoughts, "OK, so we have a red headed kid, a talented black magic user and some strange ritualistic lion killing, and of course we can't forget the wayward wizard and his bespelled sister. But I have no fucking clue what all that means." I ran my hand through my hair in frustration and headed to the ice box. I removed the last two Cokes and handed one to Molly while opening the other for myself.

I took a long drink and eyed Bob, who stood facing Molly and me. He steepled his fingers and struck his thoughtful pose.

"Well, we could scrye for the gingered haired boy and we could ask Miss Marshalikov if she recognizes him. For all we know he's her long lost brother or we…"

Bob was interrupted by the ring of my phone.

Molly set down her Coke and had the phone to her ear, before it had even hit the second ring. God bless teenagers and their phone fetishes.

"Harry Dresden's office, how can I help you?" Molly asked sweetly into the phone. "Oh, hi…sure hang on a sec." Molly held the phone to her side, "its Lieutenant Murphy."

I grabbed the phone, "Murph?"

From that point on the conversation was, as usual, one sided, I listened as she talked.

"Listen Harry, we found a body, gunshot wound to the head, but the reason I'm calling you is that someone here ID'd the kid as Zella's brother and he's covered in some kind of tribal tattoos and pentagrams. I don't know, but my gut's telling me that this isn't Zella's brother and the gunshot wound is covering something up. Meet me at the morgue. Do me a favor and bring Bob, because the poor kid's face is missing. You think Bob can do that trick of his and get me a face quicker than the five to seven days it takes forensics to track down dental records?"

She paused, I um-hmmed and then Murphy finished with, "Be there in 20 minutes," then with a click she hung up and the line went dead.

I put the phone down, and turned to look at Molly who was downing her Coke in one long swallow. Bob was looking at me with his eyebrows raised in that way of his that asked for answers without voicing a sound.

I sighed and once again ran my hand through my sweat dampened hair.

"Bob, you get to go on another field trip and Molly I need to drop you home so hurry up and get your stuff together."

"Come on Harry, I'm a big girl, what are you hiding from me?" Molly pouted at me in a way that didn't look very big girlish, but she did start gathering up her things.

"Molly, I am not taking you to the morgue with me." I stalked to my desk and grabbed my keys out of the top drawer, "You may have seen plenty of ugly things since you met me, but I'm not going to contribute to your blackest nightmares on purpose. I'm taking you home." I eyed her as sternly as I could; "besides your mother would kill me if she knew I took you to see the body of a murder victim and your mother doesn't need another reason to dislike me, especially when she just started tolerating me."

I grabbed my old brown messenger bag and tossed Bob's skull into it. He didn't require me to tell him what to do, instead choosing to simply shimmer and disappear into his skull as I slung the bag over my shoulder bag. Molly headed to the door, her pout still in place, but now she added some under her breath grumbling that I'm sure I would have been angry about had I heard it clearly.

I pulled the door open, we exited and then I turned locked the door and added a few spells over my wards. Molly raised her eyebrow, but didn't say a word as she pulled open the passenger door to the beetle and sat down on the hard plywood seat.

_Forty-five minutes later_

"What the hell? Didn't I say 20 minutes? What part of two and zero together don't you get?" Murphy grabbed my arm as soon as she saw me and began dragging me into one of the autopsy rooms.

I could hear the sound of polka music playing faintly in the background, which was a good indication that Butters was on duty. Butters had a weirdly inappropriate crush on Murphy, you know the kind of crush that tends to lead to stalking charges in socially backward men with boundary issues. Luckily Butters actually had boundaries, unfortunately he had an highly active imagination and a strange sense of humor.

I smirked as Murphy continued to drag me through the morgue and in my defense I mumbled, "I know Murph, but I had to take Molly home. I don't know, but I kinda thought that seeing a guy without his face might in someway be a bad thing for an impressionable teenage girl."

I felt, more than saw Murphy roll her eyes and she added a huffy sounding, "Fine," as we came to a stop in front of one of the tables.

A naked man lay on the table and as Murphy had indicated on the phone, he was covered almost completely from head to toe in tattoos. Most of them were easily identifiable as protection spells, some were faintly reminiscent of power spells and some I had no idea about. There were three pentagrams on his chest; one large one in the center, over his heart and two smaller ones slightly below with one to the left and one to the right of the larger one. His face and scalp had been completely removed along with his genitals. Again with the genitals…what the fuck was wrong with people anymore?

I glanced around and then at Murphy, who nodded as I pulled Bob's skull from my bag and called his name quietly.

Bob's spirit moved from the skull in a bright trail and then he suddenly assumed his former shape directly beside me. He cocked his head and glanced around before he stared at the body. He frowned deeply, and he observed, "I hope all these poor souls have crossed over or else they may think that they are doomed to listen to polka music forever as a punishment," even as he began to examine the body in more detail.

Murphy drowned her chuckle with a cough and then a twisted face when Butters poked his head through the door, grabbed something utterly disgusting from the autopsy table closest to the door and mumbled a hello, before ducking back out with a half eaten chicken leg in his right hand and the utterly disgusting thing in his left.

Bob, who hadn't even glanced at the door when Butters came through, began his discussion. I whipped my head back to the autopsy table in front of me as he spoke.

"Well, it appears this poor boy has come to a violent end. Nasty stuff he was into to end this way." Bob snorted then continued, "Whoever killed him certainly didn't want him to come back to haunt them and they certainly took their time to counteract his death curse, though if he's half as powerful as the spells he's encased in that attempt was most likely useless." Bob paused and pointed at the man's lack of manhood.

I pinched the area between my eyes and sighed. Sometimes having a mentor who knew about ancient magic was useful, while other times it was frustrating. Since most wizards and magic users didn't run around cutting each others faces and man parts off I had no idea what Bob was talking about.

"Harry, do you notice anything interesting about these tattoos?" Bob walked around the table as he motioned a hand over the victim's upper body. I caught the gruesome respect in his eyes as they sparkled, as well as the pain of regret. I didn't know which memories were heavy in Bob's mind just now since he only mentioned his curse one time to me, but it was enough to remind me, and Bob, of the reason behind his continual residence in his own skull.

Black magic was addictive. It seemed easy to use, because the power it used came entirely from the soul of the wizard using it, which meant that the consequences weren't readily apparent. Sure, I can go and whip up a storm, and hold a veiling spell, ok maybe not a great one, for a few minutes while fighting demons with hellfire, but I'd be Jell-O when I was done. There is only so much force of will one person can exert at any given time and while adrenaline can increase the amount of will available for a short period of time eventually it's gonna give out.

On the other hand, if I used black magic to do similar things I wouldn't feel anything but exhilaration. It was like the best drug, and like any good high you only regret it when you crash. That low demands another high and with the black eventually you need a stronger and more dangerous spell to get the same high. The more dark magic you do, the more you want to do, and each spell takes a piece of your soul until the only thing left is pure evil. The power I felt when I used black magic was intoxicating and to this day the desire to use more occasionally threatened to overwhelm me.

I focused my thoughts back on the problem at hand and took my time to look intently at the tattoos. Like I said, there were several I recognized and many I didn't, though it was pretty easy to determine they were mostly protective. I tilted my head to the side as a bit of work on the upper part of his chest that continued up his left shoulder and neck, and which would have continued up onto his, now missing face, caught my eye. I pointed at his shoulder as I reached into my bag and pulled Bob's skull out.

Sure enough the charm that wound its way up Bob's temple appeared to be a continuation of the one from the shoulder and neck of the body lying on the table. Even Murphy saw it as I held Bob's skull over the body.

"What the hell, Harry? Is it just me or don't those symbols on that skull almost match the tattoos on my victim?" Murphy bent over the skull to stare intently at the runes carved into Bob's skull and then over the body to the tattoos. She pointed to a bit of work across the man's upper chest and then a line across Bob's forehead, just as some perversly cheery polka song began to play at full volume. "Those two lines are exactly the same."

She grimaced and frowned, her up until now, reasonably good humor finally gave way to her usual crankiness about being in the morgue. She slammed her palms over her ears and yelled, "Damn it! Bob's right, Polka music is utterly evil."

I chuckled and Bob smirked and frowned.

"The parts of that spell that I can see are part of the same spell that binds me to my skull. As far as I know, Harry there are only three wizard who knew that spell and two of them are dead." Bob glanced nervously at me and nodded.

We both knew who the third is. He was a constant thorn in my side and if he was responsible, there wasn't a thing I could do about it. The Merlin was untouchable.


	14. I Told You So

_**Author's Note**_: _Not much action, but moving the story forward…I have a plan you know ) Remember, reviews are crack so please feel free to feed my addiction, hey I can handle the constructive stuff too ; _

Chapter 14

We didn't spend much more time in the morgue. I blotted up a bit of blood, Bob showed us what Murphy's John Doe looked like; a forty-something, average looking guy with a previously broken nose and Butters came in and told us that his preliminary exam showed the guy was alive when his face, and other parts, were cut off. YUCK!

On the way down to our cars Murphy called the hotel Zella told me she was staying at and when no one answered she dialed the cell number Zella gave me and left a voice mail message. Murphy and I were standing in the parking lot discussing what we thought we should do next when her phone rang. She turned her back and answered it with her usual curtness while I headed over to the beetle only to be stopped by Murphy grabbing my arm and then pointing at her car. I raised my eyebrows and she pointed at the car again. I sighed, but slumped over to her car, leaned against the passenger door, and waited for her to unlock the doors.

She drove a newish model, typical, police issue sedan. It was comfortable and had air conditioning, which in July was a blessing. Unfortunately, the air didn't always work when I rode with her and her security system and power locks no longer worked, even when I wasn't around. All of which, she never forgot to remind me of every time I rode with her.

I eyed Murphy as she spoke on the phone. She pushed her bangs out of her face then ruffled the hair at the back of her neck before checking her watch and nodding. As she finished up her conversation she caught me watching her and glared at me over the top of her sunglasses. I rolled my eyes, and smiled just as she flipped her phone shut.

"So, what are we doing?" I asked, pushing away from the car.

She walked around the car and using the key, for which I received a stern glare, she opened her door and slouched into the driver's seat. She reached over and unlocked my door before pulling her's shut. Once I was settled and my door closed she answered.

"Hope you don't have any appointments this evening. Ms. Marshalikov called back and she wants us to meet her in an hour. I figure you can have Bob do his little magic trick with the hair and blood and see if she recognizes either of them." When I nodded she added, "Now buckle up Dresden." She proceeded to fasten her seatbelt and left the parking lot.

I sat my eyes half-closed enjoying the coolness of the air conditioning while watching the city go by and trying to figure out what the hell was going on. If the Merlin was really involved I was pretty much screwed, if he wasn't that was simply one more unknown for me to deal with. My thoughts wandered and I must have fallen asleep, because I woke to Murphy parking the car. I glanced out the window and smiled.

"Murph, I've got you thinking like a wizard." McAnnally's, with its ability to disrupt magical energies was the perfect place to meet with Zella. If someone was attempting to harm her with magic said magic would be dispersed harmlessly by the layout of the pub.

I pulled myself upright and undid my seatbelt as Murphy answered me.

"Yeah, well he also has the best steak in town and I'm starved. I never did finish my sandwich this morning." She snarked and glared at me.

I climbed out of the car and crossed the street to the pub, leaving Murphy behind me. I ducked through the door and headed to the bar. Mac, seeing me enter, already had an open beer waiting for me on the counter. I held up two fingers, and he was going through the motions of opening the second as I slid up to the bar.

"Hey, Mac." He grunted in response, "Murphy and I are going to want steak, rare, and all the fixings and since we're having a guest I guess just make that three."

Mac didn't answer, just turned and threw some steak onto the grill. I headed to a table directly between two ceiling fans and chose the chair directly in front of a post, facing the door. The reflection of spinning fans caught in the mirrors was a little disorienting, as I gazed around the room. I took a long draw from my bottle and sighed in contentment. It was room temperature, which according to Mac was the only way real beer was supposed to be drunk, but it was nonetheless refreshing. I titled back a bit in my chair and rested my head on the post behind me, all the while watching the door.

Murphy, who I had left by the car while she made a phone call, dragged herself through the door. She had removed her light jacket and shoulder holster and was now clad only in jeans and a black tank top. I lifted my beer and caught her eye as she scanned the dusky interior of the bar. Since, Mac didn't have electric lighting, relying instead on gas lamps and candles it was actually more dark than dusky. The little electric Mac did have running through the place was used to turn the ancient ceiling fans.

She came down the last two steps and made her way in a zigzag pattern to my table. She zigged to avoid the tables that were arranged at all angles to each other, after all Mac's was a Feng Shui nightmare, and slung herself into the chair next to mine, her beer to her mouth before her butt hit the seat.

She took a sip, letting it linger on her tongue before she swallowed, her eyes closed. She made a small sound of contentment in the back of her throat prompting visions of last night to ricochet through my head and I almost groaned aloud as I sat beside her. I watched her blush. Her eyes popping open as she suddenly realized what she'd just done.

I couldn't help but look away and pretend I hadn't heard it, in part because I'm a gentleman and in bigger part because I was afraid she'd kick my ass. I knew for a fact that Murphy felt ass kicking was an appropriate punishment for the crime of teasing leading to embarrassment. So I acted like she hadn't made the same sound she'd made last night when I kissed that little spot behind her knee.

I was saved from my traitorous thoughts as I saw Zella. She had somehow seen us first, despite the gloom and was already headed to our table. I elbowed Karrin and raised my beer in Zella's general direction. Murphy, who hadn't met her yet, glanced up and then did a subtle double take.

Zella had on some sort of gauzy, flowy, floral print, curve hugging, skirt that ended asymmetrically at her knees. Her blouse was a white off the shoulder number that somehow managed to convey innocence while showing off plenty of skin. Her brownish hair streaked tastefully with red and blond was pulled back into a thick pony tail at her nape. She wore earrings of rough blue topaz artfully wrapped in copper wire and a silver Celtic cross on a thin polished leather choker.

Once again I was struck by how sensuality seemed to surround her. It was obvious that Murphy felt it too. I stood as Zella approached and Murphy huffed from her seat. I almost laughed and accused her of being jealous, but that would have been suicidal, so I smiled.

"Hello again, I ordered you a steak, hope that's OK." She nodded and I motioned to the seat and waited until she sat before taking my own. I made the introductions, "Zella, this is Lieutenant Karrin Murphy of the Chicago PD, officer in charge of Special Investigations. Karrin, this is Zella Marshalikov, my client."

Mac, who must have been in an energetic mood, stalked over to our table with three more bottles and plunked them down one at a time, then placed two in the center and the third he opened and placed daintily in front of Zella, who he eyed critically. She met his gaze evenly and then smiled. He cocked his head to the side, grimaced and then grunted something even I couldn't understand.

He then ducked his head close to mine and in his low, gravelly voice told me quite comprehensibly, "Be careful and play nice. Beer's on the house tonight," before heading back to the grill behind the bar.

Murphy's and my confused looks followed him back to the bar.

"What the hell was that supposed to mean?" Murphy asked, as she finished off her first beer and opened the second.

I shrugged. I had no clue. Mac rarely spoke, but when he did I tended to pay attention, even if his advice was often cryptic and only seemed to be half-lucid.

"You two know each other?" Murphy, always the cop, questioned Zella.

Zella, who sat across from me and on Murphy's left, tasted her beer warily. After a sip she smiled and took a long drink, then answered Murphy's question.

"Not really. I think he's heard about me. He a wizard?" She asked and glanced around the pub. "Funny layout in here, very disruptive to natural energies," Zella observed as she continued her perusal of the room. "That's gotta make using magic pretty difficult."

I shook my head, "No, Macs not a wizard, and the no magic thing is pretty much the idea," I waved my hand around, "Neutral ground and all."

I heard Mac bang on the bar and glanced over to see him moving three plates onto the bar. He pointed at me and nodded. Mac was the cook, barkeep and wait staff and that pretty much meant if you wanted something you got up and got it yourself. I pushed away from the table and headed to the bar, only to find Murphy had joined me.

Murphy leaned a shoulder against mine as we reached the bar and declared, "Something doesn't feel right, Harry."

I glanced at Murph and grabbed two plates, while Murphy grabbed the other. I was turning when Mac tapped his spatula lightly on the bar to get my attention. "She's brought trouble with her Dresden. See that it doesn't find its way into my pub." He then turned back to his grill.

Murphy glared at me. I sighed as I headed back to the table and set a plate in front of Zella before sitting down with my own. Mac's steaks were something to be enjoyed and since trouble always seems to follow me I chose to enjoy my meal and then deal with whatever I needed to deal with. Murphy must have had the same idea because she was already eating.

The three of us ate in relative silence with me occasionally asking Zella a question and her answering. She didn't really tell me anything new, but she did rehash her story for Murphy.

I told her that I wanted her to look at a couple of people, see if she recognized them and she agreed. I told her that it would have to wait until we got back to my apartment and she was fine with that. We drank another beer after dinner and then headed toward the door.

Zella exited first, only to stumble back down the steps when she attempted to step through the doorway. Murphy, who was behind her caught her as she fell, which was OK until Zella instinctively reached out to steady herself on Murphy's shoulder.

Murphy stood there for a second then crumbled like a ragdoll. I managed to catch her just before she her head slammed against the bottom step. Zella backed away from the door and fell to her knees in the corner by the steps. I pulled Murphy against me and looked up at the door.

So magic couldn't be used in Mac's pub, but it obviously could be performed from the outside and based on what I saw it was methodically being applied to the doorway. There was an obvious barrier at the threshold.

As I watched two people came through it, a couple of witches with little natural ability that I was barely acquainted with. They saw us at the bottom of the steps and then turned to look behind them, only to see the barrier. The older of the two, I think his name was Jeff, attempted to push against it and after trying for several seconds he did manage to get his hand partially through.

He started chanting something. I tried to warn him, but he either didn't hear me or chose to ignore what I was trying to tell him, so he finished chanting and then touched the pentacle on his wrist. There was a sudden green flash and Jeff and his friend were both flung to the bottom of the steps with Murphy and me.

Great! I turned and saw Mac standing in front of his bar, spatula gripped in his left hand and arms crossed over his chest with an 'I told you so' look on his face.


	15. Newton's Law

Chapter 15

So, like I was saying, trouble usually has no problem finding me and even on neutral ground I somehow managed to end up ass deep in it. I cast a glance around the bar and took in the nervous looks being sent my way by several of the other practitioners in the place. I understood their distress. The only thing really keeping anyone from using magic inside of Mac's place were the Accords and that basically meant we were on the honor system.

And everyone knows that it only takes one person without any honor to screw that up.

I bent down to check on Murphy and was relieved she was breathing. I looked over at Zella, who was still crouched in the corner, but who now appeared to be praying. I had to call her name several times to get her attention and when I did I saw her barely concealed panic as she looked at me, her eyes wide.

"Zella, I need to know if Karrin is going to be alright." I asked, forcing as much calm into my voice that I could manage.

Zella took a few deep breaths, closed her eyes briefly and centered herself before answering.

"The touch was a reflex and not really a purposeful thing, so in theory she should be OK, but since it was a voluntary touch some of her energy has been drained." She shifted and stood. She walked slowly toward us and then stopped about a foot away before squatting down beside us. "She shouldn't be out for too long."

I frowned, glanced down at Murphy, then back to Zella.

Zella gave me a lopsided, apologetic smile and then said, "I could try to lay hands on her like I did for your scratches, but the decorator kind of screwed that up." She glanced around then added, "My magic relies on natural energies and there isn't anything flowing in here."

Mac grunted his agreement from the bar.

I sighed. OK, so the barrier only keeps people from going out, but it lets people in. Jeff, aka Stupid Witch of the Midwest, was able to get partially through, but once he applied magic to the situation he got zapped. Zella couldn't make it through at all. So the wall only seemed to block magical energy. The more magic applied to the shield, the bigger the rebound. So in theory Murphy should be able to pass through without any problem. That is if she were conscious.

I pulled Murphy against me and stood, easily pulling her into my arms the way you would carry a sleeping child. I sat her in one of the chairs, and laid her head gently on her folded arms on the table. I then took attendance of who was currently in the bar.

While I didn't know everyone, there were only two people I didn't at least know in passing. I headed over toward the one closest and watched as she pulled herself closer to the young wizard she was with.

"Lucas." I said and held my hand out toward the young man. He was a few years older than Molly, but his power was well below hers. He would probably be able to train himself to wield a decent amount of power, but never anything close to that of even a moderately powerful wizard.

Lucas nodded at me, and acknowledge me with a, "Warden Dresden," but didn't take my hand. I sighed and dropped my hand to my side. Before I wore the cloak of a Warden Lucas and I had several conversations at the bar, now he barely spoke to me.

I understood, after all I had felt that way until I was all but forced to join the Council. I would have considered myself a traitor also. A Warden's job was to police other wizards. We were like the traffic cop who hid behind the upcoming road sign with a radar gun, just waiting for the next speeding vehicle to slap a ticket on. Only the fines we levied were much bigger.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but would your friend happen to be a non-practitioner?"

The girl at Lucas' side offered an indignant, "Hmmff," which I took to mean piss off.

While Lucas just shook his head.

So I headed back toward the last table in the darkest corner, where a form sat in gloom. The closer I got the more I could actually feel the magic surrounding the person. Definitely magical, probably non-human, but my curiosity forced me to keep walking until I stood in front of its chair.

It didn't take me more than a second to register male, powerful and something else I couldn't quite put my finger on.

The creature lifted his head and gave me a clear view of his face. He looked human, though his face might have been described as one only a mother could love, all asymmetric with a large, knotty, previously broken several times, nose, extremely wide set eyes and a mouth seemingly missing lips altogether. His ears were slightly pointed, but not near enough to be considered Spok-like. He was built like a tank, and dressed entirely in black from the cap encasing his bald head to the boat sized combat boots on his feet.

He smiled, at least I think it was a smile since the gash on his face tilted at an upward angle, and pushed the chair across from him away from the table with a light kick. I took that to mean, "Have a seat," so I did.

He leaned forward and grabbed his beer off the table before slouching back into his chair.

I sat a bit back from the table and watched him sip his beer before asking, "So Big Guy, are you friend or foe?" Yep, that's right Harry Dresden, cutter to the chase.

A sound that I took as a chuckle emerged from the overly large being across from me. The laugh really didn't go with the body. It kind of reminded me of listening to Mike Tyson laugh at some stupid joke during an interview.

"That depends." He answered as he placed his beer back onto the table.

Fine, well then I'll bite, "Depends on what?"

"On whether or not you're looking for me," He shifted in that certain way predators, or even prey do when they are stalking or being stalked. Most people wouldn't have noticed, but I did, since I've done my fair share of time on both sides of that dinner plate.

"Stars and stones, I don't even know who or what you are, so how can I be looking for you?" It really was the truth, though if he was involved my case or even with Murphy's then I guess I would actually then be looking for him. "You seem to know something about me, but I don't even know your name. Is there something I can call you, other than Big Guy?"

He gave me that slash at an upward angle smile again and nodded, "Sure, how 'bout Guy. It's better than most other things I've been called."

"Great. Guy, just so we're even, I'm Harry and since I still have no clue what you are why don't you tell me if you're willing to help me or if I should go back to my corner and plan my fight strategy." I smiled, relaxed just a bit and leaned back a little more comfortably into my chair.

"Well Warden, I've no desire to fight you and as the Unseelie Accords offer all amnesty in this place, a fight could start a war." Said the Mike Tyson voiced being across from me.

Not stupid, not overly aggressive, but still big and quite honestly scary. I scratched my head and squinted into the darkness.

"True, but that hasn't always stopped people from wanting to kill me and you may have heard that I've been blamed for starting wars before so it wouldn't be the first time." I answered back and shrugged as I glanced toward the door where a few low level wizards were discussing the problem of the blocked exit. I shook my head and sighed.

"I had heard that." Guy responded, and followed my gaze to the door, "Hope they don't do anything stupid. That spell's twisted and they're gonna hurt themselves."

As if on cue, we watched as one of the kids stomped to the top of the steps and shot a yellow bolt of energy into the center of the shield. He flew about twenty feet straight backward, hit a post and fell to the ground in a limp puddle.

"Stupid freaks," Guy bellowed, in a tone about two octaves deeper than his normal speaking voice causing all nearby glasses and silverware to rattle. He glanced at me as an afterthought and added, "No offense intended."

Everyone in the building, including Mac, bristled and stared into our corner. One by one they averted their eyes when they saw Guy. They may be stupid, but when faced with a huge, mean looking non-human of indeterminate descent and a Warden of the White Council even idiot wizards recognized probable suicide.

"None taken," I responded as we turned our attention back to our conversation. I was hoping that the others would catch on and remember the basic laws of physics: every action has an equal and opposite reaction. For the sake of science I suppose we could also quiz the downed wizard on what mass times acceleration squared actually feels like.

"What exactly do you know about the spell on the door?" I leaned forward and watched Guy's eyes, without really watching them.

Guy grunted and shifted under my gaze as he answered. "Not as much as you think Warden. One of my gifts allows me to see the spellwork, just like I can see it on you. Your rings and bracelets are covered in it." He nodded toward my hand. "So is the jewelry your curvy friend is wearing. But, the stuff on the door is mixed up, it just ain't right. It takes one thing and twists it. It's just plain strange. I like it. I could use it, if I understood it."

More mixed up spellwork, so it was the work of the person we were after, which really didn't make me feel any better. The last time I ran into one of his spells Murphy tried to kill me. I rubbed frustratingly at the back of my neck and made an irritated sound.

Guy tilted his beer bottle at me to get my attention and when I met his eyes he motioned to the alcove in the back where the Mac housed his unisex restroom and supplies. At first I didn't see anything, but as I watched a small flicker of something seemed to move. The something gradually took on a human shape, but only if I didn't try to focus too hard on it. The shape appeared to move back and forth like it was pacing.

I glanced at the bar and saw that Mac was also watching the shape. He pointed at me then to the shape and then shook his head before turning back to his grill.

"So what is it?" I asked Guy.

He shrugged, and set his now empty bottle on the table.

"Could be a shade, but it looks more like a projection. Someone's watching you Warden and that someone is good with delicate magic."


	16. Wolves at the Door

Projections. There's something you almost never see, no matter how long a life you have as a wizard. Projections are the things of legend. Sure the high and mighties in the Faerie Courts could probably pull it off with a good deal of finesse, but I didn't know of any wizard alive who would be able to do it for the length of time this one had been manifested.

Maybe, just maybe Mai could pull it off, but this wasn't a woman and everything I knew about projections said that the end result resembled the form of the original. The amount of willpower needed to hold the projection itself would leave virtually zero power to maintain a glamour.

A commotion across the room roused me from my thoughts and I hurried over to the table in the corner where I had left Murphy. In typical Murphy style, she had come to and fearing danger, pulled her gun while dropping into a crouch, which caused the people around her to draw back in sudden wariness.

I approached her warily. Murphy isn't what I would call jumpy, but considering she got full out whammied by the holy healer, I thought she might be a bit off kilter. I held my hands up, "Whoa, Murph. It's OK. You're just a little off from getting the Vulcan mind meld." I smiled my most charming smile and reached for her shoulder when she stumbled.

She shrugged me off and bent to ease her gun back into her ankle holster. When she stood up, she glared across the bar to where Zella stood talking to a couple of young witches.

"Damn it Harry. One minute I'm fine, the next I'm out cold and the funny thing is I could hear everything, but it was a huge struggle to focus." Murphy pushed her blond bangs out of her face and looked up at me.

I held my hands up in innocence. This really wasn't my fault, "Hey, it wasn't me and we still need to our assess out of here. I'm thinking that you might be our best bet since I'm pretty sure you can get out the door. I left Bob in the Beetle and if you get him he might be able to help me figure some things out." I raised my eyebrows, "So you feel up to it?"

Murphy snorted and turned her cold glare at me as if I'd lost my mind. "Harry, just what the hell is going on?"

I sighed at her and shook my head, "Not really sure, but I think that Bob might be able to see the spell and help me figure a way to disable it." I smirked at her, "I don't know about you, but I sure as salt don't want to be stuck in here all night."

Murphy's eyes went wide as she stared over my shoulder. "Harry, don't freak out, but there's a huge…um, troll?...standing behind you."

I smiled and turned to see that Guy was indeed standing behind me.

His odd voice quiet as he spoke, "Warden, the projection is gone and for some reason I don't think that's a good thing."

Murphy raised an eyebrow, but kept her snicker to herself.

"Why do you think that?" I scanned the back of the bar to confirm that the projection wasn't visible.

Guy shrugged, "Don't know, but I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the vampires just outside the door."

I slowly turned to the door and saw two ugly vampires standing just outside the threshold.

Murphy's only comment was, "Shit."

Guy nodded and wrinkled his nose, "They smell like it too."

I sighed and closed my eyes. Could I amend my complaint about being trapped in Mac's all night? I think I like that idea just fine. Did we really have to add two damn Black Court vampires? They were standing outside the door, waiting. What they were waiting for was a good question, but my luck usually meant it involved me.

I moved forward and stared up at them. Neither one was in good shape. They both looked like they probably left little bits and pieces lying on the ground with every step they took. The one with more of its jaw spoke.

"Harry Dresthden, you will come with usth." He had a lisp.

I chuckled, hell it was funny, "Don't know this Harry Dressth-den you speak of."

The taller vampire, the one missing most of his lower jaw shook with rage and made some kind of noise that might have been a threat if, "Ungg, thhhe, fuuunnnk, Dreedddn," was code for –Don't press your luck.

Talkie started back in, "You will come, or you will die. It doesthn't matter to usth, but thosthe are your choicthesth."

Murphy moved to stand beside me, "Yeah, well we don't like those choices, so I guess we'll have to make another option."

The vampires hissed and glared into the bar. The jawless cocked his rotting head to the side and held a hand to the threshold. He made a noise that sounded something like laughter and turned to say something to Talkie.

I felt something behind me and turned to see Guy, a huge smile on his huge face. I swallowed as I noticed the pointy teeth. Stars and Stones what was Guy? I glanced at his outstretched hands, garlic in one and an old seltzer dispenser in the other. I smiled right back at him and nodded.

Guy didn't waste his time. He moved to the bar and with his huge paw like hands, that were definitely more dexterous than I would have thought, he opened the seltzer bottle. Then he reached for the funnel that Mac set down beside him before drifting to the other end of the bar. Funnel in the top of the bottle he grabbed a bulb of garlic, held it over the funnel and squeezed. The scent of strong, fresh garlic rose as the juice from the garlic ran through the funnel and mixed with the water.

I watched and reminded myself to never piss Guy off and let him get a hold of anything I didn't want chopped, diced or pulverized. He grinned at me as he continued to squeeze the garlic. When he finished he wiped his hands on his pants, so now he smelled like an Italian grandma, but hell. I had a handy garlic water gun. "Good thinking."

Guy blushed, "It's nothing." He glanced at the door, "Hate damn vampires is all. Sick mothers the whole bunch of 'em."

I nodded and glanced to the door. "Think they can get through?" I asked as I moved to where Murphy still stood, now with her backup revolver in her hand. She knew the gun wouldn't kill them, but if you took out their legs it sure as hell made it difficult for them to move."

Guy squinted at the door and cocked his head to the side. "I think that if you can get them to cross the threshold the spell will fall."

I spun on him, "What? Why and How?"

By now, Guy was standing to my right and he turned his head so that it was lying on his right shoulder, like he was trying to read something written from the bottom of the wall to the top.

"There's a bit of spell that doesn't mesh right. It's written wrong, but not the way it should be. It won't do what the caster wanted." Guy pointed to something only he could see then he straitened and nodded, "If they cross they'll ground out the spell." He snapped his fingers, but the size of his fingers didn't allow for the usual snapping sound and all he managed was a muffled scratching sound, "Poof, gone."

I raised an eyebrow, "Poof, gone, huh…I like poof gone. Let's try for poof, gone."

Murphy looked at me and glared.

"What?" I moved to the bottom of the steps.

"Hey, here's the deal. You want me, you come get me." I held out my hands, crucifixion style.

Murphy cleared her throat, "Um Harry, you're gonna' take the word of somebody you just met?" She turned to Guy and smirked, "No offense."

Guy offered her a rather courtly bow, "None taken, lady knight."

Murphy paused and rolled her eyes before swinging her gaze back to me, "Seriously Harry…where do you find these people?"

I dropped my arms and smiled, "Oh Murph, if only you knew how many times I heard that about you." I winked at her and then turned my attention to the vampires who were having some sort of silent conversation that involved hand motions, growls and the limited expressions on what was left of their faces.

The tall vampire, Stretch, pointed at me and grunted and then shook his head.

I spun to the patrons in the bar, most of which were gathered as far from the door as was possible. "Hey, when one of these Anne Rice rejects crosses the threshold we should be able to get out. So, do me a favor and head for the hills as soon as the doorway is cleared of the living dead."

I watched as people nodded then I turned to the nearest end of the bar where Zella sat, somewhat dejectedly. "Hey, you alright?"

Zella nodded and stood to move closer to the little group we made before the door.

I looked from Zella to the vamps and something occurred to me, "So, what happens if you touch one of them?" I motioned to the door, where now both Stretch and Talkie seemed to be listening to the boss man in their heads.

Zella's eyes went wide. "I have no clue, never tried it."

I scratched the back of my neck and looked down at her. "You said the energy doesn't affect you right?"

She nodded at me and arched an eyebrow, "What so you actually want me to walk up to them and lay on hands?" She crossed her arms over her chest, a stance that reminded me immediately of stubborn Murphy stance, "Are you crazy? What if nothing happens?" She shook her head, "Sorry, but I don't want to be dinner for a couple of Romero movie stunt men."

I grunted and gave her a half-smile. "Well, if they get close, try it out will you…otherwise stay behind me. They're strong and faster than they look, even if they are falling apart." I was about to add, be careful when Talkie interrupted me.

"Dresthden, we agree. We come in and you come with usth." Talkie pushed Stretch over the threshold and a sudden flash of purple and orange light momentary blinded me.

Sounds of surprise came from both vampires, but neither was hurt as they ambled oddly down the stairs.

Talkie turned to glare at the doorway, "What wasth that, tricksth Dresthden? he laughed and it made my skin crawl. "It really wasthn't a very good one; no flamesth, no sthun light, justh bright light? Your reputation is much exthaggerated."

I motioned to the room, "Not my trick. Neutral ground and all, so don't go blaming me for subpar magic, after all, as you just say I have a reputation to uphold."

Stretch stood swaying at the bottom of the stairs. He was missing one side of his left foot and it looked like the knee on his right was stuck in the straight position. Talkie though, his lower limbs seemed pretty limber. In fact, he moved down the steps easily and stood beside his tall companion as they surveyed the room.

I looked toward the back of the room. The other wizards and assorted spell casters stood huddled together. They reminded me of a scared herd of sheep watching the wolf circle. I sighed and turned back the vampires.

"So, they all leave and then we'll talk." I pointed to the herd.

It was Stretch who answered me. His eyes glowed hungrily as he stared into the back of the bar. He shook his head, licked at what was left of his upper lip and smiled. At least I think it was a smile.

"No? Well then, we don't have a deal." I turned to Guy and nodded.

Guy smiled and stepped forward, getting a whole lot closer than I probably would have. He looked from one to the other and then shrugged as he hefted the two seltzer bottles, one in each hand. He pressed the lever and garlic water sprayed the two full in the face.

It was kinda' like watching the Three Stooges, only the vampires were making high-pitched screeching sounds and Guy wasn't going, "nya, nya, nya."

Murphy was on one knee and she fired. One shot, taking out Stretch's left knee, dropping him to the floor with a wild scream. Guy startled me when he reached for Talkie and after managing to grab an arm he pulled and almost with sickening ease, he not only popped the shoulder joint from its socket, but actually separated the arm from the body.

I winced as Talkie fell to the floor beside his friend. They both howled and thrashed, especially as Guy continued occasionally to spray fresh garlic water over them. He was laughing, enjoying himself just a little too much, but who was I to complain, after all, he was keeping them pinned down.

The herd moved en masse and flowed quickly out the door. Mac followed behind them, spatula still hand. He grunted at me as he passed, and I had no idea what he meant by it. The meanings of Mac's grunts were as numerous as Eskimo words for snow.

I watched as the last of the bar patrons exited and then moved toward Guy, who still had the vamps pinned down with the threat of more garlic juice. Guy smiled wildly at me, "You're fun to be around Warden. I haven't enjoyed myself this much since I last played with the Gruffs."

Murphy snorted, "You can keep the Gruffs…play with them all you want, just keep them away from me."

"I'm with her on that one." I glanced at the now quiet vampires, "So, now what do we do with them?"

Guy licked his lips and ran his tongue over his wicked looking teeth. Seriously, I was glad he was on my side.

Guy grunted, his strange high-pitched voice making it sound funny, "I could rip off their heads and them separate them from their limbs, like in the old days. We could even bury their hearts if you want." He bent over the vampires, who cowered on the floor.

Okay, Guy had quite the sadistic streak. "Um, yeah, well why don't we find out who sent them first." I waited until Guy nodded and straightened up. "Okay then, who sent you to get me?"

**_If you're still reading you have my greatest thanks...especially those of you who waited for this chapter...forever. I'm sorry, but I'll try harder. My muse was hijacked by school and then other stories. I'll work really hard to do better and actually get this story finished._**

**_Hey, if you feel so inclined...let me know what you thought._**


	17. Kiss Me Once and Kiss Me Twice

Stretch stared up at me, jaw off its hinge and Talkie glared.

"Isth, not my placthe to tell."

Okay, so it would figure I wasn't going to get a straight answer. I rolled my eyes and glanced to Guy. "You know the only thing keeping him from using you like an undead piñata is me. So you might want to reexamine whose place it is to share information."

Guy smiled, thin lips sliding over sharp teeth as he cracked his knuckles.

The vampire with the tongue pressed the little bit of skin between his lidless eyes together in thought. "Ith don't know histh namth. He never tolthd usth."

"So you expect me to believe you're working for some unnamed bad guy? What were you going to get out of the deal anyway?"

Stretch made some kind of noise that at one time would have been angry words only to be elbowed by his more verbal companion.

A smile slid across the vampires ruined face. "He sthaid he could fixth usth. Make usth whole again, buth we musth take you to him."

My eyebrows shot up. I was pretty sure it wasn't possible to make a vampire whole again, but obviously these two thought it was possible. "Yeah, well how about describing him, you know what'd he look like, what was he? Human? Wizard? Faerie?"

"He wasth wizthard, but not wizthard. He confusthed me and he wasth sthrong."

"Wrong?"

The vampire scowled so hard bits of skin fell from his forehead. "Sthrong…powerthful…"

Guy grunted beside me. "You know wizard, vampires are a useless waste of space." He stepped forward. "Let me at least make sure they take up less."

I held up a finger and looked at the two wastes of space on Mac's floor and then to the woman who was standing petulantly by the bar. I pointed to Zella, "You get a similar vibe from her? Anything like this guy that promised to go all Jesus on your ass and heal your little leprosy problem?"

Talkie was suddenly silent, but Stretch answered with an exaggerated nod that was so abrupt that it left a couple of loose teeth on the floor.

My eyebrow arched and I turned to Zella. "What exactly does your brother look like?"

Zella moved away from the bar. "Tall, athletic, straight red hair with dark brown eyes."

Stretch nodded again.

"He hadth redth hair." Talkie answered quietly.

Not much, but it was the best we had. "There was red hair at the zoo, Murph." I watched her nod, "Bob showed us a young man, tall, thin, but muscled and long red hair pulled away from his face with a black bandana."

Zella nodded. "Kerr always wore his hair back like that, but he wouldn't cut it, no matter how hard I begged him."

"So, let's assume that your brother sent these two idiots to drag me away, but why?"

In all honesty, I had no clue why some half-wizard-half-whatever was after me. It could be because his sister had already sought me out. Then again, it could be he wanted me dead for some reason. It's not as if that's never happened before.

Guy moved forward in anticipation. "Now, Warden?"

I glanced at the odd man, if man was the right word for him and shook my head. "I think we should keep our end of the bargain. They told us who sent them, they should get to live."

Guy frowned and shook his head. "I don't agree. They'll only go after others."

I nodded and shot him a cruel smile. "I never said we had to let them live in one piece."

DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

I handed Murphy a Coke and popped the top on my own can. She sat on my couch, _the couch_. Flashes of that night made my lower belly tighten. I tilted back my can and swallowed, my eyes drifting to Mouse as he tried to get comfortable on the floor. Doing that little doggy dance of circle, flop, circle and dig that dogs all over he world seem to do before they finally settle down to sleep.

He flopped with a sigh before he rested his huge head on his huge paws and then closed his eyes with a huff. I smiled, bent, scratched his head and then moved to the living room. I sat across from Murphy, noticing how tired she looked.

Her head was flopped back on the couch, her cola can resting against her thigh. She sighed and raised her head to look at me.

"What the hell are we doing, Harry?"

I know my face reflected my confusion as I stared at her blankly, "Huh?"

"Yeah, huh, about sums it up…" she rolled her eyes and sipped at her Coke. Then she pushed herself upright, moved to the kitchen and slid her can onto the counter. She turned, leaned against the counter and looked at me.

I watched her from beneath my lashes. I really did think I knew where her mind was, but I was waiting. I wasn't going to be the one to bring it up, to make it a big deal. It had happened, and while I sure as hell wouldn't complain if it happened again, I wasn't about to make a big deal out of it. Things between us were strange enough already. I wasn't going to make them stranger.

Karrin blew her bangs out of her face and shook her head at me. "I'm trying Harry. I'm really trying to keep it normal between us."

"It has been normal between us, Karrin." I finished my Coke and tried to decide if staying on the couch or moving to the kitchen was the best thing to do. I wasn't lying to her, I mean really, so far we'd pretty much just acted like we always did. I settled for moving, because I wanted to be closer to her.

The thought that she was right hit me. I mean, maybe me walking into the kitchen to be closer to her wasn't normal. Usually, I wouldn't care where I was when we talked. Usually, I would've sprawled across the small couch and closed my eyes, just listened to her tell me what she needed to tell me.

Usually, I wouldn't be moving into the kitchen and standing in front of her. I usually didn't pin her against the counter with my body. Hey, okay it wasn't normal.

She inhaled, her hands coming up between us to rest on my chest. She snorted. "And this is normal?"

Her voice was a little breathy and all blood immediately took a southern detour. I shook my head. "Not really, no."

"Yeah, just checking." Her hands didn't press and they didn't push they just rested on my chest.

The weather was still unbearably hot and she was again down to a tank top, this one a light grey. My hands slid to her arms, my fingers ghosting over her skin and she shivered.

"Cold?" I smiled as I bent my head close to her ear, making sure my breath would roll across her neck.

"No." She shifted, her forehead fell forward onto my chest and she widened her stance. "Definitely not cold, Harry."

I took a deep breath. I didn't want to do the right thing and I knew I could kiss her and take her hand and pull her to my bedroom. I knew right now she wouldn't fight it and she'd go willingly, but I also knew it was going to screw things up even more. I lightly gripped her upper arms and pulled back.

"Maybe you should go, Murph." I bit the inside of my cheek and fought the urge to pull her against me. I hoped she'd disagree with me.

She looked up at me then, eyes just avoiding mine while looking directly at me. "I know I should, I need to." She nodded a little, but her hands curled into my shirt and she swayed forward.

I kept her from connecting with me and shook my head with a small groan. "Karrin, please…"

She nodded again, her hair brushing beneath my chin. "I really don't want to."

Hell, I didn't want her to either. "I know, but…"

She stiffened a little and suddenly pulled away, just a bit. Her hands flattened against my chest. "But what, Harry?" I could feel her anger. "I'm not going to lie and say it wasn't…" her fingers made hesitant circles on my chest, "that it didn't…damn it, what the hell have you done to me?"

My lips quirked up, "Nothing, I swear." My hands made their way to her shoulders and then down her back. "I think it's you…" My head dropped to her ear. "I can't stop thinking about you."

She groaned and turned her face toward mine. Her lips hovered. She waited, eyes moving from my eyes to my lips, her panting breaths sending shivers down into my belly. She breathed out my name and kissed me.

Our lips met, just a gentle pressure this time. I could taste the sweetness of the cola on her lips, and her strawberry Chapstick beneath it. Her tongue pressed against my lips and the kiss deepened.

I pulled her against me, lifting her so she sat on one of the stools and her legs slid around mine as her hands slid into my hair. We kissed for several minutes. Tongues teased and played, so much different than before and so much the better for it.

It was Karrin who broke the kiss; she pushed against my shoulders and arched away from me as her legs dropped from my waist. "No, Harry…"

Anger pulled up from inside me, the hurt of it making me feel a little violent and my hands gripped her shoulders a little too tight. "Don't play with me Karrin, please."

I could tell I hurt her, not my hands, but my words, because I saw the shock of it flash across her face before she hid it with other emotion. When her hand lifted to my face, I felt ashamed. This was my best friend. She was one of the few people I trusted with my life, one of the few people I truly loved.

"Harry, I'm sorry." Her thumb brushed lightly across my face. "I'm not playing. I'm just so confused and you being close makes me more confused." She shivered and I relaxed my grip on her arms. "I need time."

"Do you want this?" I raised my eyebrows and watched her face. I saw it, before she answered.

"God Harry…more than anything. I can barely keep another thought in my head."

I smiled at her and backed away half a step, my hands still touching her. "I'm that irresistible huh?"

She snorted and rolled her eyes. I saw the gratitude on her face. "Men and their egos, go figure."

I sighed. "We'll figure it out, Murph. I promise we will."

She nodded. "I know, I'm just scared, Harry." She dropped her eyes and looked to the floor. "It's more than my heart on the line…if this turns into something and then goes south?"

Her hand rubbed at the back of her neck, it was something she tended to do when she was worried. Then she looked back up at me. One hand finding my hand and clasping it. "I can live with a broken heart Harry, I've done it before, but I can't live without you."

I didn't know what to say. I understood because I felt the same way. I mean Murphy and I have had our run ins, our arguments, hell, even out and out fights, but we always come back to each other. We always find a place where we're comfortable again. She was one of the very few constants in my life. Because of me, she'd almost lost her job, she ended up demoted, she'd almost lost her life, more than once; meaning, I owed her. I owed her more than I owed anyone else.

"It'll be okay, Karrin." I said as I brushed hair from her eyes. "I'll call you in the morning."

I watched as she swallowed and nodded. She fought the urge to kiss me and then when I stepped back she moved away, toward my door and back toward normal.

"Yeah, in the morning, Harry and hopefully we'll have some idea of where this crazy wizard is." She looked back over her shoulder. "You find anything, you let me know."

I nodded, "Sure thing, Murph." Then, she was gone.

I sighed, shook the tension from my shoulders, and then I turned to head for my lab. I still had a few long red hairs that, with some luck and Little Chicago, would point me in the direction of one wizard who shouldn't exist.

_**A/N:**_

_Well, I'm thrilled to post the next chapter, but no promises on the next one. School and other projects are kicking my butt. So, thanks for all those who are still reading. I promise to finish it...I really will. The plotting is written, parts of chapters are written, but the bulk of it is in pieces, so it's just gonna take time. Review please, I hate to say it, but reviews keep the muse inspired. Inspiration means more writing. ~ Thanks.  
_


	18. The Meek Shall Inherit

**The Meek Shall Inherit **

My heart wasn't in it and I knew it. I stirred the potion half paying attention, my mind wandering to more arousing thoughts. I didn't realize it was boiling over until Bob's voice sank into my brain.

"Harry, unless you plan on dangling the entire workbench over Little Chicago, you might want to turn down the heat."

I looked up with a short sound of surprise, first at Bob and then at the boiling potion. I cursed and grabbed the small pot, only to curse again when I burned my hand on the hot copper. "Damn it." I shook my hand then stuck the injured fingers into my mouth even as I turned the burner off beneath the pot. I knew the potion was fine, it hadn't burned, but I had to make sure it didn't set before I got the potion onto the crystal. I picked up the wooded spoon and stirred with one hand.

My nose wrinkled as the sulfur rose up strong with the steam and I pulled the fingers from my mouth and looked at them. The small blisters throbbed and burned, but I'd live. With a sigh I stood and stretched. I back was stiff from my hunched position and it popped nicely when I reached for the cloth that held the red hair.

The two long strands pulled from the white bandana easily and I pulled a clear crystal from a shelf above my books. Carefully, I wrapped the hair around the crystal and then painted the potion over the hair to bond it to the stone. Then I set the stone on the table and waited for it to dry. I leaned back against the worn wood and closed my eyes with a sigh, only to realize that was a mistake.

Every time I closed my eyes I saw Murphy, which didn't do much for the fit of my jeans. I growled and opened my eyes only to find Bob staring at me in that annoyingly thoughtful way of his. I glared at him and he sighed and dropped the hand that had been tapping his chin.

"Don't glare at me Harry. I'm not the one mooning over the girl." Bob moved to the work table and glanced at the crystal. "I don't know what the problem is. You two are obviously attracted to each other, neither of you are married and from what I observed, you get along splendidly in flagrante."

I growled again, this time it was directed entirely at Bob. "I'm not discussing my sex life with a ghost who hasn't had sex in centuries."

Bob straitened and pulled at his jacket. "I've forgotten more about carnal love than you've ever known. You should be asking me for advice, not discounting my experience."

I rolled my eyes and ignored him. "Did you figure anything else out?"

He crossed his arms and shook his head. "Nothing and I doubt I will. If you have the power to create that type of magic, then you know how to keep it secret."

I rubbed at my temple and tried to think of anyone else who might be able to help, but I was drawing a blank. Bob interrupted my thoughts.

"Your crystal is ready."

I nodded and prepared the crystal by tying a bit of leather to it and then set about to find the redheaded wizardling.

For some reason my spell didn't work as well as it usually did. I narrowed down the area, but not the exact location. I was trying to figure out why when Molly appeared and scared the hell out of me.

"What the…" I spun, pulling my power around me, magic ready to fly before I realized who it was.

To her credit, I realized that Molly had pulled her own magic up and had a shield readied. "Damn boss, sorry. You told me to meet you here at ten and well it's ten." She crossed her arms and glared at me like I'd done something wrong.

"You just startled me." I moved away from Little Chicago and set the crystal down on the table. I watched Molly survey the lab and wondered how she managed to keep her hair spiked in this humidity, which was oppressive, even in my sub-basement lab.

She fiddled with a ring on her finger and played with the relatively new piercing in her lip before she looked up at me. "Sooo, you find who you were looking for?"

I'd given up trying to keep track of the holes she put in her face so I ignored it. "Sort of. I can't pin him down, just have a vague idea of where he is." I pointed to the harbor.

"Hmm. Well, that's extremely useful." She sighed. "So, what's next?"

"Good question grasshopper, tell me what do you think we should do next?" I wiped my hands on a towel and picked up the now cool copper bowl. I motioned to the door and waited until she headed up and out ahead of me.

I followed her out and into the kitchen. I ran the faucet and set the pot to soak. I nodded when she pulled open my icebox and held up a bottle of root beer. She took a Diet Coke and then headed to my small living room.

"Well, we know what he looks like and we know he's doing some kind of twisted magic, so what about ley lines?" She took a long drink and I knew she was watching me.

I nodded, not entirely sure why I didn't think of that. "Makes sense and the lines could be screwing with my location spell too. Good thinking." I smiled and then rolled my head to the left to yell for Bob.

He appeared with a small bow for Molly before looking to me and pointing to his lip with a grimace. When I shrugged he asked what I needed.

"Ley lines."

"I'm afraid I'm going to need more information than that Harry. What exactly do you need to know about them?" Bob folded his arms over his chest and spoke to me like I was a child, which always bothered me, but since I needed his help I let it slide.

"Any run through the harbor?" I moved into the living room and took the couch that Molly wasn't sitting on.

Bob walked through the couch and appeared between Molly and Me. He was thinking and tapping a ghostly hand against his ghostly jaw. "There's nothing particularly strong, but yes. A line intersects a certain part of the harbor."

Molly set her can on the old trunk that served as my coffee table. "There are stronger places though, right? So why there if something else is better?"

"That's the million dollar question. Okay, well that and where he is." I fell back against the couch and let my eyes drift close. I hadn't slept well last night and even two cold showers hadn't helped any. I knew I was missing something, but I couldn't figure out what it was.

There was a hell of a lot about this case that didn't sit right. I had no idea exactly what Zella's brother was. It was possible that he wasn't even a wizard. I sat up so suddenly that I caused my root beer to fizz up over my hand. I slammed the bottle onto the table and jumped up. I paced and ran a hand through my hair. "All this time, we've been assuming that Zella's brother is a wizard. What if he isn't a wizard?" I looked from Bob to Molly and back to Bob. "I can't locate him, he's too powerful. We know his mother isn't quite human, but we have no idea what his father is. If he's not human that could also explain things."

Molly fiddled with her soda can by tapping a rhythm against it with her rings. "How can Zella know absolutely nothing about the guy that was boning her mother?"

Well that was a damn good question, but the guy had obviously kept himself from Zella on purpose. I looked to Bob. "Could he be a demon?"

Bob was thoughtful before he nodded. "It is possible. He could have been a scion or even an outsider." Bob glanced between me and Molly. "The magic is dark, strong and strange and we know very little about the Outside and there are so many types of demons. What we do seem to know is that he inherited magical ability from both his father and his mother. That she was a healer was important to this boy's birth. His sister stated that the boy's father was elated that his plan worked. Seeing how there is only ever one Healer in a lineage at a time, it seems important that the boy be conceived to an aging healer."

I was about to comment when there was a sudden thump, and then rustling sound outside my door. It was quiet, but loud enough to startle us. Bob, pointed toward my lab and then disappeared. Mouse stood and barked softly before he rushed the door with a low growl. His body was tense, his ears were back and his teeth bared.

I felt Molly pull power around her, the air shimmered and she was gone from my sight. I nodded, shook out my bracelet and pulled my wand from a small shelf behind the couch. I didn't feel anything dark from the other side of the door, but I knew that Mouse didn't growl at the good guys.


	19. KnockKnock, Who's There

**Knock-Knock, Who's There**

I opened the door and if I looked a little more like my friend Talkie from the other day, my jaw would have been on the floor. On the other side of my threshold stood a tall, thin yet muscular, ginger-haired young man. He hadn't quite filled out in that way men do, and he still carried himself with that self-conscious swagger than teenagers tend to walk around with, but his eyes were definitely those of a man, even though he was looking up at me from behind a curtain of ridiculously long hair that any woman would envy.

He wore a t-shirt with the sleeves cut off and a pair of jeans with rips and holes that probably cost more than my monthly rent. He kept his hands buried in his pockets and swung his head around to clear the hair from his eyes. He shrugged and then said, "I'm Kerr."

I leaned against my door jamb, still inside my wards with my shield bracelet at the ready. I nodded, "So you are."

Mouse growled with his hackles up, but he didn't attack.

Kerr took in the dog and then looked over his shoulder as he shuffled his feet. Then he looked over his other shoulder, reached up and shoved a hand through his hair, which gave me my first good look at his mug. His face was a mess of bruises and swelling to the point that he looked like he'd gone a few rounds in the octagon with Matt Hughes. His left eye was almost completely swollen shut and I was pretty sure the eye socket was broken. His jaw was a very unnatural shade of purple, mixed with green.

I figured that was one reason he wasn't speaking much, but then he spoke again. "I need help."

"That's what your sister said." I didn't share more. I didn't move, just waited.

He was starting to get nervous and antsy. He glanced around again and almost jumped out of his skin when my upstairs neighbor came out her door to get the mail. His hand actually raised and four visible balls of energy formed at his fingertips.

I reached for his arm, intent on sparing Mrs. Krandel from Kerr's magical Taser, but I only managed to startle the kid and his magic fingers turned to me. I brought my bracelet up in time to deflect it, but was still shocked by the strength of it. "Put that thing away before you hurt someone."

I waved to Mrs. Krandel who was now heading down her steps and asking me if everything was alright. "It's fine, we're fine he was just showing me his laser pointer." I pulled the boy over my threshold and felt it strip him of some of his power. I pushed the door shut behind me and ushered him to one of my loveseats, where I pushed him down.

I pointed at him and glanced to Mouse. "Guard him, don't let him move."

Mouse sat directly in front of Kerr and stared intently. I patted him on the head and then looked around the room for Molly. The air by my kitchen counter shimmered and then Molly popped into view.

Molly eyed Kerr and leaned casually against the counter. "Makes a girl wonder what else those fingers can do…" She let her voice trail off as she bit her lip.

"Reign in the hormones grasshopper." I took my best stab at looking parental and added. "Be careful, we don't know why he's here yet."

Molly sighed, pushed away from the counter and eased herself over to my other couch. She slouched down into it and stared at Kerr while scratching behind Mouse's ears. "So, why are you here?"

Kerr openly stared at Molly, not that most people didn't. I mean she had plenty of holes in her face and even though her hair was only two colors at the moment, those colors were bright red and purple. She also wore dark eye makeup, had a studded dog collar around her neck and plenty of ink on her exposed skin. Her baggy, cut-off, black cargo pants ended at her knee and she wore some sort of army green, cropped tank top under an off-the-shoulder, black mesh t-shirt.

When people didn't stare I wondered why they weren't, but Kerr stared at her differently, almost like he was _seeing_ her.

Molly shifted her position on the couch and I watched as she focused on pulling together a defensive blow. "Dude, back the hell off."

Mouse growled, but I wasn't sure if it was because Kerr was really a threat or because he felt Molly's discomfort.

Kerr shook his head and then looked to me and back to Molly. "Sorry, I didn't mean…" He paused, shifted uncomfortably and then shrugged. "I can't always control it."

"Control what?" I asked still watching him intently from where I stood. I realized I probably should call Zella and Murphy, definitely Murphy, but I was hoping to find something out first.

He tilted his head in my direction and picked at one of his fingernails. "I don't know what it is, but the way I see things. It just happens sometimes."

"How about you tell me how you see things then." This kid oozed magic, but it was different, odd and something I couldn't pin down. I looked over my shoulder and called Bob.

Kerr stared at Mouse this time and I saw his face go white and his eyes widen with fear. He scrambled backward from the dog, down the small couch to the other arm rest. "What the hell is he?"

He looked to me as if I was going to save him from a dangerous creature, but Mouse hadn't moved. He just sat between my couches guarding the kid like I'd asked. "A demon dog? Hound of the Baskervilles? I'm not really sure, he just kind of adopted me, but he's not about to eat you, so how about you answer me. What do you see?"

He pointed at Mouse. "With him?"

I sighed, "Fine, yes start with my dog."

"He's like on fire, all pure white and fierce. Power, so much power and old, so old he's ancient, but he's not. He knows things." He glanced at me. "So much knowledge and wisdom and so able to use it. He doesn't like me."

Molly's mouth was hanging open. "You can like see that?" She looked to me. "Can you even see that with your Sight?"

I shook my head. "He just looks white and strong to me." I glanced over my shoulder and hollered for Bob again. "Get in here." I moved into the sitting area and sat on the arm of the couch beside Molly. "Trust me, if Mouse doesn't like you, there is a good reason."

Bob popped into the room just then, which didn't startle anyone, even my new guest. Honestly, I'm not sure he even registered Bob's presence.

Bob saw the boy and opened his mouth to say something, only to shut it again. He studied Zella's brother for a minute and then, "Harry, why is there a demi-god in your living room?"


	20. Oh My Demigod

**Oh My Demi-god **

I stared at Kerr with a new appreciation, and a smidgen of fear.

"A demi-god? As in half ancient god, half human?"

Bob cocked his head to the side and gave me a patronizing look. "Is there any other kind, Harry?"

I glared. "Are you sure?"

"As sure as I can be." He glanced to Kerr again. "I've only met one and that was a long time ago, but it's the same aura, the same scent of ozone, the same vibration." He paused and looked at me. "You can't feel it?"

I wanted to strangle the ghost right about now, but when I let my guard down and actually observed the boy I started to sense that there was something different about him. My living room did now smell like there had been a thunderstorm and now that I thought about it, those little hairs on the back of my neck were still standing up.

"Humph." I crossed my arms. "So who is your father?"

Kerr shrugged. "I don't know. I never met him."

Molly rolled her eyes. "Okay, so who lured you away from your sister and why do you need help and what exactly have you been doing and what do you know about your sister's little problem?"

I watched Kerr squirm and then he looked at me and back to Molly.

"Friends, people are trying to kill me and I don't know what you mean about my sister."

I sighed and wiped a weary hand over my weary face. "Do these so called friends have names?"

Kerr shifted so he could see me without straining his neck. "They're brother and sister, twins actually and they are both good friends. They've always been there for me and helped me."

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Names, do they have names?" I was a bit frustrated.

"Farra and Frey, why?"

"Names are important and have power and besides I like having something to call people by."

Molly snickered, only to stop the moment I glared at her.

"Are these the same friends that got you started doing black magic? Are they wizards?"

Kerr didn't squirm, but he did give me a look to indicate I was insane, which I wouldn't completely deny.

I took a step toward the couch. "Do they do magic? Are they human even?" I spoke the words slowly, as if I was talking to someone who wasn't a native English speaker.

Molly's snickered again, but I didn't stop her. I mean, what was wrong with this kid anyway?

Kerr shrugged. "I think they're human, at least they look like they are and yes they do magic." He winced and touched his face. "Do you have any aspirin or something?"

Molly grabbed her bag from beside the couch before I could answer him.

"I have some Midol." She sorted through the bag.

It was my turn to try not to snicker as she pulled the small bottle from the tattered messenger bag and tossed it into the kid's lap. He picked it up and thumbed off the cap and, in a style I appreciated, drank down, what was most likely, half the bottle.

He winced, swallowed, winced and then pulled a half-pained-half-disgusted face before sticking out his tongue and then swallowing again. I gave the kid points for not whining and took a little pity on him by getting him a glass of water.

He drank and nodded at me.

"Thanks." He fiddled with the glass. "So what do you mean there is something wrong with my sister anyway?"

I eyed the kid suspiciously. "You know, that spell you whammied on her."

He shook his head and held up his hand. "I didn't spell anyone. I don't know shit about that. The things I do just happen and I know I didn't do anything to her."

Molly shifted her gaze from Kerr to me and back to Kerr. "She said you manipulated her thoughts." Her voice was quiet and I could hear guilt, but I doubt Kerr picked up on it. I knew about Molly's past and her own dabbling in people's brains.

Kerr's eyes lit up and he nodded. "Yeah, that I can do, but it's not a spell or anything. I just will the person to change their mind, add a little suggestion and they'll do it."

I cleared my throat. Obviously, the kid had no clue what casting a spell was or how dangerous what he did was to himself and others. "Look kid, willing something to happen is magic. It's a spell. Just because you don't wave a magic wand and say abracadabra doesn't mean it's not."

Kerr frowned. "But no one had to teach me. I never have to really focus. It's like I just think and it's done. It's like breathing." He took another sip from the glass. "Farra and Frey, do magic. They light candles and speak in some language I don't know. They draw pentagrams and use crystals and herbs. Witch, wizard, warlock? I don't know, but they're all about the spells. When I want something I just make it happen." He glanced at his hands and then set the empty glass on the trunk in front of him.

Bob drifted closer and then looked at me as his finger tapped his lip. "It would make sense Harry. If the boy is a demi-god, he'd have little use for spellwork. He'd have natural magic, much like the Fae." He shrugged. "There's little reason to call up energy when you are the source."

Okay, so maybe the kid didn't put the mystical smack down on his sister, but from what he said about the pentagrams, it looked like it was his Bobbsey twin friends and if it wasn't they were a good place to start anyway.

"So, you didn't reverse your sister's power?" I watched the kid carefully.

He paled. I mean he was red-headed pale anyway, but I watched the blood all but drain out of the kid's bruises. He shivered and then shook his head slowly.

"N.." He cleared his throat. "No, I didn't and what do you mean reversed?"

I wiped a hand over my face and shrugged. "Well, I was hoping you knew, but it seems that instead of healing she drains power from the people she touches. Basically, she's Rogue from the X-men." I raised an eyebrow. "And you really don't have any idea how that happened?"

His head shook slowly side to side and his tongue fingered the slice in his lip. "I know it wasn't me."

"She said you messed with her head about going to a bar. When she realized what you'd done, she was afraid for you, gave you a choice, you ran, she went to check on you and boom, there was a pentagram one minute, she was on the floor the next. When she woke up, pentagram gone and when she went to heal, she ended up killing a man, almost killing a kid and well, now she thinks you were the one who did it."

"Oh my god."

Kerr looked up at me and there was genuine fear in his eyes. Not that I'm a little scared kind of fear, but plain old, hardcore terror. I watched him struggle to keep a hold of his emotions. He did a pretty good job of it too. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and then exhaled.

"I can't believe they'd do it."

So, maybe it wasn't as good a job as I thought because I could hear the panic in his voice now.

He shook his head. "I can't believe they did it, they promised they wouldn't, even said they couldn't, but that bitch must have been lying to me." His fists clenched and his eyes found mine. "What else? What else have they done?"

There was a crackle in the air. Something like thunder or lightening, but not quite and the hair on my arm stood up on end. I could hear and smell and hell, even see the power swirling around the kid on my couch.

Mouse moved steadily backward. He wasn't growling, but I could see the wariness in his eyes. He wrapped his big jaws around Molly's wrist and tugged.

She didn't need to be told twice and she backed up with the dog, which gave Kerr a good four to five feet of space.

"Kerr, nothing else. No one else was hurt." I wasn't really sure that was true, but the kid was starting to Hulk out in my living room. "Take a breath Kerr and let's talk about it."

There was a rumble and the boy's eyes flashed green and then just as suddenly as it started, it was over.

I let out the breath I just realized I'd been holding and looked to Bob. "What the hell was that?"

Bob's eyes slowly found mine. "That was power, barely controlled and pushed back down. He's strong Harry. Stronger than even he realizes and when he does, I hope he's on our side."

**NOTE:** _Just a quick thanks to anyone still reading. I know this should have been finished a long, long time ago, but life keeps getting in my way. Anyway if you liked it, reviews are always appreciated, but not required. If you didn't like it, well again you can tell me if you want, but it would be better to just not read anymore. If you have constructive criticism, that is always acceptable. Thanks again!_


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